1Lecturer, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
2Lecturer, Department of Physical Therapy for Neuromuscular disorders and its surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt
3Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding author email: sunny11sai@gmail.com
Online published on 11 April, 2014.
Obesity and poor respiratory function are associated with morbidity and mortality. Obesity affects lung function, however the impact of all degrees of obesity on lung function need to be explored in different populations and genders.
The authors investigated the relation of BMI, waist circumference, physical activity with lung function in Hail City, Saudi Arabia.
This analysis included 359 females aged 18–44 years with no known preexisting serious illness and who had complete anthropometric (height, weight and waist circumference) and forced vital capacity (FVC) using simple spirometry and chest measurements. Physical activity was measured using “International Physical Activity Questionnaire” (IPAQ).
Both FVC and predicted FVC along with chest expansion measurements were linearly and inversely related across the entire range of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and positively associated with physical activity in study subjects even after adjusting for age confirming our hypothesis. However, BMI and physical activity explained the greatest proportion of variance for both FVC and chest expansion in regression analysis as compared to WC.
In the general adult female population, obesity may play a role in the impairment of lung function even from BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 while even moderate physical activity can positively affect lung function.
Body mass index, chest expansion, forced vital capacity, physical activity, waist circumference
