Publication:

Association of peak expiratory flow rate with obese and overweight individuals

Background The increasing number of overweight and obese individuals is a serious health problem worldwide. Growing evidence had clearly and consistently evidenced that obesity is an essential and direct predictor of respiratory function. Aim and objectives were to observe body mass index (BMI) based variations in respiratory parameter in overweight and obese individuals.

Methods The study was carried out on 320 (18-28 years) subjects in district Dehradun of Uttarakhand, India. Different anthropometric parameters and respiratory parameter was measured by proper procedures.

Results The anthropometric parameters weight and height were found statistically significant (p<0.05) among all subjects. BMI based and gender-based comparison of respiratory parameter were found statistically significant (p<0.05). The correlation of BMI with peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was found statistically very highly significant. The correlation coefficient (r) between BMI with PEFR was found= -0.6, denotes partial negative correlation.

Conclusions Our study concluded that with increased BMI the PEFR decreases, which signifies that there is broncho construction due to various mechanisms like direct action of adipose tissue on the air ways via a decrease in luminal diameter of the air way and an increase in the probability of airway collapse.