Atopic diseases and related risk factors among Dutch adolescents

Background: The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema among Dutch early adolescents, and to study the impact of several social demographic and individual risk factors. Methods: Cross-sectional survey study using the self-report questionnaires of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). In January 2003, 10 087 12- to 14-year-old students from 33 secondary schools in four regions of the Netherlands participated in this study. Results: Of all participants, 52.6% reported that they had an allergic disease at least once in their lifetime. The 12 months prevalence of wheezing, rhinitis, and itchy rash was 12.3%, 28.3%, and 13.5%, respectively. Several social demographic and individual factors (gender, age, education levels, ethnicity, body mass index, and residential area) were significantly associated with the atopic symptoms and diseases. Conclusion: This study showed that allergic conditions are common in the Netherlands. Several social demographic and individual risk factors were related to the atopic diseases and symptoms.