The high prevalence of asthma among children in the Harlem Children's Zone Project is consistent with reports from other poor urban communities. Intensive efforts are under way to reduce children's asthma symptoms and improve their asthma management strategies.

To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) percentile and asthma in children 2-11 years of age, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of 853 Black and Hispanic children from a community-based sample of 2-to 11-year olds with measured heights and weights screened for asthma by the Harlem Children's Zone Asthma Initiative. Current asthma was defined as parent/guardian-reported diagnosis of asthma and asthma-related symptoms or emergency care in the previous 12 months. Among girls, asthma prevalence increased approximately linearly with increasing body mass index (BMI) percentile, from a low of 12.0% among underweight girls (BMI e5th percentile) to a high of 33.3% among girls at risk for overweight (BMI 85th-94th percentile). Among boys, asthma prevalence was associated in a U-shaped curve with the extremes of BMI percentile, that is, 36.4% among underweight boys, 19.1% among normal weight boys (BMI 6th-84th percentile), and 34.8% among overweight boys (995th percentile). After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and household smoking, among girls, having asthma was associated with being at risk for overweight (odds ratio [OR], 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-5.0) and being overweight (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2-3.8) compared to normal weight; among boys, having asthma was associated both with overweight (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.3) and with underweight (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.7). Large, prospective studies that include very young children are needed to further explore the observed association between underweight and asthma among boys. Early interventions that concomitantly address asthma and weight gain are needed among pre-school and school-aged children.

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Background: Although the increases in overweight and obesity observed for several decades have appeared to have leveled off, the prevalence of overweight and obesity remains exceptionally high among children of color. This article estimates the effect of Healthy Harlem's Get Fit-a 12-week after-school program aimed at helping students improve physical activity and eating habitson BMI and weight status of adolescents. Methods: Participants were 436 students who had overweight or obesity in 12 Harlem Children's Zone after-school programs in New York. The evaluation was a randomized controlled trial where students were assigned to an intervention group that received Get Fit plus Prevention services or a control group that only received Prevention services in 2013 or 2014. Impacts were assessed on BMI z-score, percentage with overweight or obesity, and percentage with obesity using regression analysis. Results: Relative to the control group, students randomized to Get Fit experienced a decrease in BMI z-score (mean difference =-0.04; p = 0.02). The percentage of students with overweight or obesity was also lower (mean difference =-5.3; p = 0.02), but there was no effect on the percentage of students with obesity. Get Fit had an impact on BMI for girls, but not boys. Conclusions: Get Fit improved middle-and high-school students' BMI outcomes and weight status. Schools continue to face pressure to allocate time for physical education and activity while meeting their academic demands, underscoring the importance of after-school student-level interventions like Get Fit.

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The aim of this collaborative public health study was to engage families, agencies, and programs in reducing secondhand smoke exposure in Central Harlem, New York City. Baseline interviews (n = 657) and focus groups (n = 4) were conducted with adult members of households with children who had asthma and asthma-like symptoms in the Harlem Children’s Zone Asthma Initiative. The interviews concerned the prevalence and determinants of exposure of enrolled children to secondhand smoke. Key findings were that participants: (1) were generally aware of the hazards of secondhand smoke; (2) used strategies to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in their homes; (3) believed that outdoor pollutants are sometimes just as bad for the health of their children as secondhand smoke; and (4) used smoking to provide stress relief and help diffuse otherwise volatile situations in their homes. The Harlem Smoke-Free Home Campaign was launched in October 2007 based in part on these findings.