1Tutor, Department of Physiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna
2Professor, Physiology, SMS Medical College, Jaipur
3Professor & HOD, Physiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna
*Corresponding author: Anita Kumari, Tutor, Department of Physiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sheikhpura, Patna. Email: dranisingh@rediffmail.com, Phone: 7277951989
Online published on 19 January, 2018.
Reaction time is an indirect index of processing capabilities of the central nervous system. The present study was carried out to determine if there is any effect of body mass index on reaction time in adolescent females.
90 adolescent females between 17–19 years of age with similar socioeconomic status were selected from 1st and 2nd year MBBS students for the study. The height and weight were recorded and the BMI was calculated. The subjects were divided into 3 groups based on their BMI: those having normal weight, underweight, and overweight according to the WHO criteria. The Auditory and Visual reaction time were measured by indigenously prepared reaction time software.
Visual as well as auditory reaction time was prolonged in subjects having higher and lower BMI than normal. Visual reaction time was significantly longer in subjects with lower BMI as well as those having higher BMI as compared to subjects with normal BMI (P<0.05).
The study showed that the BMI of an individual affect the audiovisual reaction time, which is an indirect measure of the sensory motor association.
reaction time, body mass index, auditory, visual
