Weight gain in adolescent daughter. Are inhaled steroids for asthma really never the cause?

[alwaysandnever]

There is scant evidence to say inhaled steroids for asthma cause weight gain, but it is sometimes alluded to and I found one article that suggested it happens in females and not males. So now I am wondering if it can be a possibility but the research on makes and females together might skew the results.

DD has always been on the more solid side and looked like she was destined to be taller than average but she didn't grow as much between 12 and 14 as I expected. Around the age of 13 she was first prescribed a preventative inhaler.

I'm not sure what I'm asking. I'm concerned about her weight gain and would like to know for sure to rule out any ideas about it being caused by her steroid inhaler. I've 2 DDs and they don't eat or exetcise that differently - although Dd1 might just be lucky to have DH's metabolism. They are both very slim. I was a skinny teen too. Though mine is due to being a picky eater. I'm now at the high end of my BMI. DD2 has fat around her chin and some belly fat, she is 15. It's this still perhaps more likely to be down to her age? She seems like an anomaly in the family and so sensitive to weight gain. I can't help looking at the inhaler and thinking about her asthma and wondering... or being curious if her allergies alone make her more prone.

Of course I haven't mentioned anything to her. We only ever talk about food in terms of nutrition. We're a cook from scratch family. Breakfasts are healthy and snacks limited.

Hi op my dd is only just 10 but was skinny until she turned 5 and was diagnosed with asthma and started taking Clenil. She filled out and has always been chunky since.

I have spoken to several people over the years about this and the general consensus is yes the steroid inhalers do tend to cause weight gain but my dp, her dad, is on one too and has had no issue. Like you say, they could affect females differently.

Does her asthma mean she limits exercise? What is her (child specific) BMI (on the NHS calculator)?
The same diet but less exercise than your other DC might be a reason.

Fortunately it doesn't limit her exercise. I have her playing a sport. She goes to a school with lots of PE and sports. She has cough variant asthma. It's worse during lockdown so either the extra sports actually helps her asthma or there are fewer triggers when she is at school. She takes flutiform, which is a combined inhaler.

And what is her child-specific BMI?
Good that her sport helps her asthma!

I don't know. It is over a year since I weighed her. She thinks she has grown a cm so I will measure her and see if I can broach weighing her then without making it too much of a big deal.

Does the NHS calculator account for age or do I need to consult a specific chart?

The NHS calculator gives you different figures for adults and children, and is age specific.

What dose is she using? If she’s on a high dose there is some evidence it can cause obesity, and also that obesity can make the steroids less effective (so you may end up needing a higher dose).
Is she due her asthma review soon? If her symptoms are very well controlled the doctors may reccomend she steps down to a lower dose. Keeping her active and a good diet will help prevent excess weight gain, it just may be more difficult for her than other children but still really really important.
Is there anything else you can do to help her asthma? Any sensitivities or does anyone in the household smoke at all?

She's usually worst in Autumn and Summer. I would think mould spores from dropped leaves and in the summer it is bad if we go for a country walk and there are nettles and other overgrown weeds. Her asthma nurse wanted her to try singulair but I was concerned about the possible side effects - especially as DD2 is already a fairly anxious girl.

She also takes an antihistamine day and night. She's on the lowest dose of flutiform.