 Asthma is a significant non-communicable disease with high morbidity and mortality in severe cases. Childhood asthma has higher incidence and prevalence than adult asthma, but the reverse occurs around puberty. The global epidemic of asthma continues, especially in low- to middle-income countries. Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with distinct phenotypes and endotypes that need to be adequately characterized. New clustering techniques such as latent-class analysis and computational phenotyping methods are being developed to assist in the early diagnosis of asthma. Environmental determinants that trigger asthma are well-established, but more work is needed to define their role in the development of asthma. Investigation into gene-by-environment and environment-by-environment interactions may help identify high-risk groups and key modifiable exposures. Asthma may impair airway development in children and accelerate lung function decline in adults, with early-onset asthma having a greater effect than late-onset asthma. Therefore, managing asthma should focus on improving long-term respiratory and other health outcomes. This article was authored by Shemili Seetharmage, Jennifer Elpere, Jennifer Elpere and others. We are article.tv, links in the description below.