Effects of Obesity and Depression on the Incidence of Asthma in Korean Older Adults: A Secondary Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2020

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and depression on asthma in older adults Koreans.Methods: Data for 1,388 individuals (≥65 years) were extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES Ⅷ-2, 2020). Complex sampling design data were analyzed using stratification, clustering, and weights. Data were analyzed using unweighted frequencies, weighted percentages, estimated means and standard errors, the Rao-Scott x2 test, and multiple logistic regression analysis, which was performed to identify variables that influenced asthma after adjusting for confounding factors.Results: The factors influencing asthma in the older adults were a depression diagnosis, age at the onset of depression, current depression status, and gender. In contrast, BMI and WC did not affect asthma. A diagnosis of depression had an odds ratio of 3.07 for asthma in the older adults. Furthermore, the odds ratios for asthma in the older adults were 5.08 for depression onset at <49 years and 3.37 for current depression compared to no depression diagnosis. The odds ratio for asthma in female older adults was 1.35.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that asthma in the older adults could be detected early through depression symptoms. This study also provides evidence that depression-related interventions should be included in asthma prevention and management programs for the older adults in Korea.