Hormone may play a role in asthma-obesity link

Based on studies of mice, experts at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City are suggesting that leptin, a hormone involved in energy metabolism, appetite, fertility, and building bone mass, may play a key role in the link between asthma and obesity — and possibly lead to development of a leptin-based treatment for weight-related asthma.

The researchers observed that some patients who are anorexic or obese also have asthma, which makes sense because both abnormally low or high body weight and fat mass can result in narrowing of the airways and diminished lung function.

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