Prevalence and associated factors for asthma in Brazilian and Japanese schoolchildren living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Ethnic background interferes on the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren (4 to 9 years old, SC) born and living in São Paulo, Brazil.

METHODS: International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC)'s written standard and complementary questionnaires were applied to SC (similar socioeconomic status) living in the city of São Paulo: no-Japanese Brazilian (NJB, N = 306) and Japanese Brazilian (third generation, born in Brazil, from Japanese families with no miscegenation, JB, N = 258).

RESULTS: The prevalence of current asthma was significantly higher among NJB in comparison to JB (22.2% vs 14.7%, respectively). To have rhinitis and to exercise less than once/week were risk factors for both groups of children.

CONCLUSION: Although both groups were apparently exposed to the same environment, other cultural differences do not allow us to conclude about the ethnic component having greater influence than the environment in the development of asthma in these individuals.