What are the causes of asthma?

What are the causes of asthma?

Although asthma can happen to anyone, there are some risk factors that make it more likely that certain people will suffer from the condition.

Gender can play a part in the likelihood of developing asthma. Boys are more likely to develop childhood asthma than girls. But by the age of 35, more women than men have asthma. 

Those with atopic conditions such as eczema or atopic dermatitis can be more susceptible to asthma. People with allergies to certain things, for example pet hair, dust mites, moulds and fungi, are also more likely to suffer from asthma and these factors can also make asthma symptoms worse.

It is also thought that asthma is more common in overweight people. Obesity is associated with a higher incidence of asthma and poor asthma control, and losing weight is associated with a reduction in the severity of asthma symptoms.

There are numerous other factors which are believed to increase your risk of developing asthma, such as:

  • Premature birth / low weight births Exposure to smoking when a child Childhood history of bronchiolitis Occupational asthma