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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 10, Issue 3, April 2014 pp 447-450

Research Article

Correlation of Body Mass Index and Pattern of Pulmonary Function among South Indian Adult Males

G. K. Sudhir¹, P. Chandrashekara²

¹Associate Professor, Dept of Physiology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Balagangadharanatha.Nagara-571448,

Mandya, Karnataka, INDIA.

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

Background and Objectives: Obesity is acclaimed to be a problem of the newer world with rapidly changing lifestyles involving consumption of highly processed and calorie rich foods added with decreased physical activity. Increase in body fat as measured by BMI has been well documented to alter the respiratory functions in a negative manner. But the effects of obesity on respiratory functions have been shown to vary depending on its severity, pattern, racial factors and so on. This study was done to document the effect of increasing body fat, measured by BMI on the pattern of pulmonary function among South Indian males, with an intention to observe if there exists any difference in the association between the two as against information available for rest of the country and world. Materials and Methods: This study was done on 150 native South Indian adult males in Bangalore. Following the selection, the subjects were divided into normal, overweight and obese groups, anthropometric parameters and spirometric parameters were measured using a computerized spirometer. Statistical analysis was done by applying student-t test, considering a 95% confidence limit for significance between groups. Results: FVC was significantly increased p<0.05 in the obese group compared to the normal. The FEV1 showed a significant reduction p<0.01 in the higher BMI group compared with normal. A linear pattern of rise in severity of abnormality in pulmonary function was observed in the order of restrictive followed by mixed and obstructive patterns with increase in BMI among the groups. Conclusion: This study grossly validated the negative effect of obesity on respiratory functions as suggested by earlier studies. The study also documented an increase in FVC with increasing BMI which is contrasting to the findings of other studies, suggesting a possible onset of an emphysematous change secondary to obstruction with greater degrees of obesity.