Symptoms of allergic rhinitis #407 Lifestyle Risk Factors for Allergic Rhinitis in Schoolchildren: Are Sports Activities a Negative Factor? Jiro Takeuchi1),2),3), Takashi Kusunoki1),4), Takeshi Morimoto1),5), Mio Sakuma1),5), Kumiko Mukaida1),4),6), Takahiro Yasumi1),7), Ryuta Nishikomori1),7) and Toshio Heike1),7) 1)Shiga LAKE Study Group, Japan, 2)Osaka Saiseikai Nakatsu Hospital, Osaka, Japan, 3)Kyoto University Health Service, Kyoto, Japan, 4)Department of Pediatrics, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Shiga, Japan, 5)Center for General Internal Medicine and Emergency Care, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan, 6)Kumiko Allergy Clinic, Kyoto, Japan, 7)Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Results Discussion Summary Conclusion This study aimed to investigate various lifestyle factors and their association with symptoms of allergic rhinitis in schoolchildren. A questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors and allergic rhinitis was distributed to the parents of 7-year-old schoolchildren at primary school. We developed logistic regression models to evaluate the association between lifestyle factors and allergic rhinitis. Participating in sports activities and commuting on foot were associated with higher symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Among the parents of 759 7-year-old children who attended primary school, 640 (84.3%) answered the questionnaire. Background characteristics of the participants are shown in Table 1. Of these children, 223 (34.8%) had allergic rhinitis symptoms. Associations between lifestyle factors and symptoms of allergic rhinitis are shown in Table 2. Among the lifestyle factors investigated, children who participated in any sports activities after school had significantly more allergic rhinitis symptoms than those who did not (OR=1.50, P=0.03). These data indicate that spending longer time outdoors, such as sports activities and commuting on foot to school, is a risk factor for allergic rhinitis. Increasing exposure to outdoor allergens, such as pollen, might increase the risk of having allergic nasal symptoms. We are planning a further prospective study to evaluate the causal lifestyle factors for allergic rhinitis in schoolchildren. Participating in sports activities and commuting on foot were associated with higher symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Increased exposure to pollen or other outdoor allergens may contribute to these associations. Results <LAKE> study is Funded through Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research <KAKENHI>（22590586）. Objective Table 2 Lifestyle factors and symptoms of allergic rhinitis Similarly, children whose commuting time on foot to school was 30 minutes or more tended to have more allergic rhinitis symptoms than those whose commuting time was less than 30 minutes (OR=1.39, P=0.07). No significant association between other lifestyle factors (passive smoking, obesity, bedtime, wake-up time, and eating habits, etc.) and allergic rhinitis symptoms was found. In order to investigate various lifestyle factors and their association with symptoms of allergic rhinitis in schoolchildren. Lifestyle factors Symptoms of allergic rhinitis Symptom rate Crude OR (95% CI) Adjusted OR yes (n=223) no (n=417) Low birth weight (< 2500 g) yes 21 36 36.8% 1.09 (0.62-1.92) 1.04 (0.58-1.88) 202 379 34.8% Birth order (1st) 120 203 37.2% 1.22 (0.88-1.69) 1.16 (0.82-1.64) 99 204 32.7% Passive smoking 94 186 33.6% 0.89 (0.64-1.24) 0.97 (0.69-1.37) 125 221 36.1% History of day care attendance 88 148 37.3% 1.18 (0.84-1.65) 1.15 (0.81-1.63) 131 260 33.5% History of breast feeding (within 6 months after birth) 66 135 32.8% 0.87 (0.61-1.24) 0.88 (0.61-1.28) 153 272 36.0% History of flu vaccination 190 340 35.9% 1.30 (0.84-2.03) 1.28 (0.80-2.05) 33 77 30.0% Obesity (BMI≧25.0) 10 22 31.3% 0.84 (0.39-1.80) 1.00 (0.45-2.24) 213 392 35.2% Sports activity (≧once/week) 129 201 39.1% 1.47 (1.06-2.05) 1.50 (1.06-2.11) 216 30.3% Sitting or lying down on holiday 100 171 36.9% 1.17 (0.84-1.62) 1.31 (0.93-1.86) (≧7 hours) 123 246 33.3% Wake-up time (earlier than 7AM) 210 390 35.0% 1.12 (0.57-2.21) 0.97 (0.46-2.03) 13 27 32.5% Having breakfast every day 214 394 1.39 (0.63-3.05) 1.49 (0.64-3.50) 9 23 28.1% Commuting time on foot 95 147 39.3% 1.36 (0.98-1.90) 1.39 (0.98-1.97) (≧30 minutes) 128 270 32.2% Having night snack 54 35.3% 1.03 (0.70-1.50) 1.08 (0.72-1.61) 169 318 34.7% Bedtime (earlier than 9PM) 50 36.2% 1.06 (0.71-1.57) 1.09 (0.72-1.66) 173 332 Methods A questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors and allergic rhinitis was distributed to the parents of 7-year-old schoolchildren at every primary school in Ohmi-Hachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The International Collaborative Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire provided information about the prevalence of allergic rhinitis. Following the descriptive statistics, we developed univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate the association between lifestyle factors and allergic rhinitis symptoms. P values <0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance and P values <0.1 were considered to indicate a tendency. Table 1 Characteristics of participants No. of schoolchildren 640 Male, sex (%) 308 (48.1) Age (yrs) mean±SD 7.97±0.28 Present illness (%) Allergic conjunctitis symptoms 103 (16.1) Bronchial asthma symptoms 169 (26.4) Atopic dermatitis symptoms 148 (23.1) Food allergy symptoms 70 (10.9) Family history (%) Allergic conjunctitis prevalence 52 ( 8.1) Bronchial asthma prevalence 141 (22.0) Atopic dermatitis prevalence 145 (22.7) Food allergy prevalence 84 (13.1) Japan Ohmi-Hachiman City 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology San Antonio, Texas, USA, February 22-26, 2013 Printed by