Association between Obesity and Chronic Laryngitis in Women - Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Published in: Obesity facts Vol. 8; no. 4; pp. 252 - 260
• Main Authors: Joo, Young-Hoon, Han, Kyung-Do, Lee, Seong-Su
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger GmbH 01.09.2015; Karger Publishers
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Body Mass Index; Chronic Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Laryngitis; Laryngitis - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity, Abdominal - epidemiology; Original; Original Article; Prevalence; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Sex Factors; Statistics as Topic; Young Adult; Republic of Korea; Obesity; Epidemiology; Laryngitis
• ISSN: 1662-4025; 1662-4033
• DOI: 10.1159/000437004

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and chronic laryngitis in South Korea using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) collected during 2008-2010. Methods: KNHANES was a cross-sectional survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population of South Korea (n = 13,819). Obesity status was measured by using BMI and waist circumference. Results: Among the population over 19 years of age, the prevalence of chronic laryngitis was 4.0 ± 0.4%. Chronic laryngitis was significantly associated with age, BMI, waist circumference, fat proportion, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women. Old age and current smoking were significantly associated with chronic laryngitis in men. Obese women were at a higher risk for chronic laryngitis than women without obesity (odds ratio (OR) 2.022, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.412-2.895) after further adjustment for confounders. Women with abdominal obesity were also at higher risk for chronic laryngitis (OR 1.475, 95% CI 1.024-2.126). Conclusion: Obese women in Korea have an elevated risk for developing chronic laryngitis. Further epidemiological and experimental studies are necessary to clarify the impact of obesity on this condition.