Correlation of Hemoglobin concentration with Body Mass Index among medical students

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Original Article

Author Details : Umamaheswari Kannan, Anitha Achuthan

Volume : 4, Issue : 2, Year : 2017

Article Page : 227-230

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Abstract

Introduction: Obesity and anemia are considered as the double burden of malnutrition. Significant changes in life style, stressful working conditions, consumption of quick preserved foods, snacks and soft drinks of low nutritional value, has led to the increasing trend of obesity and nutritional disorders including anemia even among the literate affluent young adults. We aimed at finding the correlation of anemia and BMI among young adults.
Materials and Method: 310 healthy medical students in the age group of 19-25 years volunteered to participate in the study. Height, weight, hip circumference, waist circumference were measured and hemoglobin estimation done according to standard protocol. BMI and Waist hip ratio were calculated.
Results: A total of 310 students in the age group of 19-25 years were included in the study. 136 (44%) were males and 174 (56%) were females. 66 (21.29%) students were anemic. Of the anemic students 54 (81.8%) females and 12 (18.8%) males had anemia based on WHO criteria. Under nutrition was identified among 6 (3.5%) females, and 3 (2.2%) males. The number of Overweight/ Obese females were 49 (28.2%) and males 42(30.9%) respectively. Those with adequate nutritional status were 119 (68.4%) females and 91 (66.9%) males. There was a positive correlation in the group with BMI <18.5 kg/m² in females and a negative correlation in the group which had BMI > 23 kg/m² in both males and females with anemia. There was an inverse correlation between waist circumference and Hb concentration only in the underweight group with an r value of -0.92 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed anemia and obesity, to be prevalent among medical students. Both overweight/obesity and increased waist circumference are inversely associated with anemia in this representative group of medical students from urban area. We recommend regular screening of adolescents for anemia and obesity to challenge this public health issue.

Keywords: Anemia, BMI, Obesity, Overweight

How to cite : Kannan U, Achuthan A, Correlation of Hemoglobin concentration with Body Mass Index among medical students. Indian J Clin Anat Physiol 2017;4(2):227-230

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