***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: The purpose of this study was to estimate the national prevalence of childhood asthma and other allergic diseases in Korea , and to determine potential risk factors for the diseases . Stratified r and om sample s of 42,886 were selected from 34 elementary ( 6 - 12 yr olds ) and 34 middle schools ( 12 - 15 yr olds ) nationwide , and 38,955 were in the final analysis . The Korean-translated modified version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood question naire was used in this cross-sectional survey . Twelve-month prevalences of the symptoms of asthma , rhinoconjunctivitis , and flexural eczema were 8.7 % , 10.5 % , 7.3 % in 6 - 12 yr olds , and 8.2 % , 10.0 % , 3.9 % in 12 - 15 yr olds , respectively . For allergic conjunctivitis , food allergy , and drug allergy , the prevalences in 6 - 12 yr olds were 11.2 % , 6.5 % , and 1.5 % , respectively . Asthma and flexural eczema decreased significantly with age . Other significant risk factors were also noted . For 6 - 12 yr-old asthma , adjusted odds ratio ( aOR ) of body mass index was 1.21 with 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 1.0 - 1.48 , aOR of passive smoking was 1.37 with 95%CI 1.24 - 1.51 , aOR of carpet use was 1.28 with 95%CI 1.10 - 1.49 . For 6 - 12 yr-old eczema , aOR of affluence was 1.22 with 95%CI 1.07 - 1.39 . The control of obesity and passive smoking would be the most important preventive measures of allergic diseases BACKGROUND A positive association between body mass index ( BMI ) and allergic diseases has recently been suggested ; however the sex-dependence of this association remains controversial . The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between BMI and asthma and eczema , as well as its sex-dependence in young adolescents . METHODS Self-reported data obtained through the st and ardized International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood ( ISAAC ) Phase Three written question naires of 2926 young adolescents aged 13 - 14 years old from r and omly selected schools in Skopje ( Republic of Macedonia ) were used . The BMI for each individual was calculated and used-both unadjusted and adjusted for confounding factors-as a variable for analysis . The international cut-off points for BMI for overweight and obesity by sex and age were used . Because of the very low prevalence of obesity ( 1.5 % ) , obese respondents were included in the overweight group . The data were statistically analyzed by the chi-square test , the t-test for independent sample s and odds ratios ( OR , 95 % CI ) in binary logistic regression . RESULTS Being overweight was significantly associated with an increased risk of having a dry night cough without a cold or chest infection ( adjusted OR : 1.54 ; 95 % CI : 1.09 - 2.16 ; p = 0.01 ) and with having had self-reported asthma at some time ( adjusted OR : 2.36 ; 95 % CI : 1.02 - 5.44 ; p = 0.04 ) in boys only . A significant association between overweight and other symptoms of asthma or atopic eczema was not established . CONCLUSION These findings suggest a male-specific positive association between overweight and a current dry night cough and having received a diagnosis of asthma at some time . No association was found with other asthma symptoms or atopic eczema in young adolescents Background The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma , allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis is increasing rapidly worldwide , especially among children and in western countries . This coincides with an increase in body mass index ( BMI ) , which might be a major risk factor for atopic diseases . Objectives To study the relationship between high BMI and allergic diseases , as well as skin-prick test ( SPT ) positivity and exercise-induced asthma ( EIA ) in 6733 r and omly selected schoolchildren aged 9–11 years in the French Six Cities Study . Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in Bordeaux , Clermont-Ferr and , Créteil , Marseille , Reims and Strasbourg .  Parental question naires based on the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood ( ISAAC ) were used to collect information on allergic diseases and potential risk factors . Skin-prick testing to common allergens was performed to identify the existence of an allergic hypersensitivity and an exercise test was also performed to assess EIA . Height and weight were collected by trained investigators . After computing the BMI ( weight/height squared ) , the International Obesity Task Force ( IOTF ) cut-offs were used to define overweight and obesity . The children were also classified as wheezing or non-wheezing . Results After adjustment for confounding factors , lifetime asthma was associated with high BMI among non-wheezing children ( adjusted OR , aOR=1.98 , 95 % CI ( 1.06 to 3.70 ) ) . In addition , lifetime and past-year allergic rhinitis was associated with high BMI in wheezing children ( aOR=1.63 , ( 1.09 to 2.45 ) and aOR=2.20 , ( 1.13 to 4.27 ) ) . However , high BMI was not significantly associated with eczema , SPT positivity or EIA . Conclusions This study shows a positive association between high BMI and lifetime asthma in non-wheezing children . High BMI was also associated with lifetime and past-year allergic rhinitis . Further studies are needed to provide causal evidence Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone believed to regulate body weight . Its function in wasting during inflammatory disease in humans is unknown . We studied the effect of repeated tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) infusion on serum leptin levels in six patients with solid tumors .  TNF infusion on day 1 result ed in an increase in serum leptin levels from 3.1 ( SEM + /- 0.28 ) ng/mL to 5.2 ( SEM + /- 0.6 ) ng/mL after 12 h ( P < 0.001 ) . The serum levels returned to baseline within 24 h. Similar results were obtained when TNF was infused on subsequent days . The study shows that leptin serum levels are under control of TNF Background Childhood obesity and asthma are increasing worldwide . A possible link between the two conditions has been postulated . Methods Cross-sectional studies of stratified r and om sample s of 8–12-year-old children ( n = 10 652 ) ( 16 centres in affluent and 8 centres in non-affluent countries ) used the st and ardized methodology of ISAAC Phase Two . Respiratory and allergic symptoms were ascertained by parental question naires . Tests for allergic disease were performed . Height and weight were measured , and overweight and obesity were defined according to international definitions . Prevalence rates and prevalence odds ratios were calculated . Results Overweight ( odds ratio = 1.14 , 95%-confidence interval : 0.98 ; 1.33 ) and obesity ( odds ratio = 1.67 , 95%-confidence interval : 1.25 ; 2.21 ) were related to wheeze . The relationship was stronger in affluent than in non-affluent centres . Similar results were found for cough and phlegm , rhinitis and eczema but the associations were mostly driven by children with wheeze . There was a clear association of overweight and obesity with airways obstruction ( change in FEV1/FVC , −0.90 , 95%-confidence interval : −1.33 % ; −0.47 % , for overweight and −2.46 % , 95%-confidence interval : −3.84 % ; −1.07 % , for obesity ) whereas the results for the other objective markers , including atopy , were null . Conclusions Our data from a large international child population confirm that there is a strong relation of body mass index with wheeze especially in affluent countries . Moreover , body mass index is associated with an objective marker of airways obstruction ( FEV1/FVC ) but no other objective markers of respiratory and allergic disorders Objective To investigate trends in obesity prevalence in recent years and to predict the obesity prevalence in 2015 in European population s. Methods Data of 97 942 participants from seven cohorts involved in the European Prospect i ve Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition ( EPIC ) study participating in the Diogenes project ( named as “ Diogenes cohort ” in the following ) with weight measurements at baseline and follow-up were used to predict future obesity prevalence with logistic linear and non-linear ( leveling off ) regression models . In addition , linear and leveling off models were fitted to the EPIC-Potsdam data set with five weight measures during the observation period to find out which of these two models might provide the more realistic prediction . Results During a mean follow-up period of 6 years , the obesity prevalence in the Diogenes cohort increased from 13 % to 17 % . The linear prediction model predicted an overall obesity prevalence of about 30 % in 2015 , whereas the leveling off model predicted a prevalence of about 20 % . In the EPIC-Potsdam cohort , the shape of obesity trend favors a leveling off model among men ( R2 = 0.98 ) , and a linear model among women ( R2 = 0.99 ) . Conclusion Our data show an increase in obesity prevalence since the 1990ies , and predictions by 2015 suggests a sizeable further increase in European population s. However , the estimates from the leveling off model were considerably lower Background  Atopic dermatitis ( AD ) prevalence has considerably increased worldwide in recent years . Study ing indoor environments is particularly relevant , especially in industrialised countries where many people spend 80 % of their time at home , particularly children . This study is aim ed to identify the potential association between AD and the energy source ( biomass , gas and electricity ) used for cooking and domestic heating in a Spanish schoolchildren population . Methods As part of the ISAAC ( International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood ) phase III study , a cross-sectional population -based survey was conducted with 21,355 6-to-7-year-old children from 8 Spanish ISAAC centres .  AD prevalence , environmental risk factors and the use of domestic heating/cooking devices  were assessed using the vali date d ISAAC question naire . Crude and adjusted odds ratios ( cOR , aOR ) and 95 % confidence intervals ( CIs ) were obtained . A logistic regression analysis was performed ( Chi-square test , p-value < 0.05 ) . Results It was found that the use of biomass systems gave the highest cORs , but only electric cookers showed a significant cOR of 1.14 ( 95 % CI : 1.01 - 1.27 ) . When the geographical area and the mother ’s educational level were included in the logistic model , the obtained aOR values differed moderately from the initial cORs . Electric heating was the only type which obtained a significant aOR ( 1.13 ; 95 % CI : 1.00 - 1.27 ) . Finally , the model with all selected confounding variables ( sex , BMI , number of siblings , mother ’s educational level , smoking habits of parents , truck traffic and geographical area ) , showed aOR values which were very similar to those obtained in the previous adjusted logistic analysis . None of the results was statistically significant , but the use of electric heating showed an aOR close to significance ( 1.14 ; 95 % CI : 0.99 - 1.31 ) . Conclusion In our study population , no statistically significant associations were found between the type of indoor energy sources used and the presence of AD Abstract Background Atopic diseases including asthma , rhinitis and eczema have increased in the second half of the past century . This has been well studied among children and adolescents but with the exception of asthma to a much lesser extent in adults . The adult risk factor pattern of atopic diseases , in particular of eczema , and their relation to allergic sensitization are yet to be fully eluci date d. Studies among adults that have compared the risk factor pattern for these conditions in the same material are very few . The objective of this study was to compare the risk factor patterns for asthma , rhinitis and eczema in a r and omly selected adult population . Methods A question naire survey on atopic diseases was dispatched by mail to 30,000 r and omly selected individuals in West Sweden aged 16–75 years and 62 % participated . A subgroup of 2000 individuals was selected for clinical examinations including blood sampling for specific serum Immunoglobulin E to common airborne allergens and 1172 attended . Results The prevalence of current asthma was 11.8 % , current rhinitis 42.8 % , current eczema 13.5 and 2.3 % had all three conditions while 13.9 % had at least two conditions . No mutual risk factor was identified for all three conditions . Allergic sensitization was a strong risk factor for current asthma ( OR 4.1 CI 2.7–6.3 ) and current rhinitis ( OR 5.1 CI 3.8–6 
    Output:
    
The available studies revealed inconsistencies , but the majority indicated that obesity is associated with AD .
Studies addressing obesity in infancy or early childhood ( age < 2 years ) and AD reported a positive association .
In Conclusion , overweight/obesity is associated with an increased risk of AD .