Association of Body Mass Index with Peripheral Vascular Resistance

Objectives: To determine the relationship of body mass index (BMI) with peripheral circulation in healthy adults. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Jamshoro's Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences' Physiology Department. The study lasted one year (January to December 2018). One hundred and eighty healthy persons under the age of forty were chosen, including males and females. After calculating the BMI, to determine the peripheral circulation, arterial blood pressure and heart rate (pulse rate) were recorded. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of one hundred eighty (180) people took part in the study, 94 (52.2%) of whom were men and 86 (47.8%) of whom were women. Participants in the study had an average age of 21.83 5.88 years. The average person weighed 66.12 kg and was 2.85 m tall. Their average body mass index was 25.10±6.55. The pulse rate (beats/minute) in underweight, normal, overweight, and obese were 73.85±6.17, 73.56±6.04, 76.66±6.72, and 78.85±6.85, respectively (p<0.01). The mean arterial pressures in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese were 87.08±6.70, 85.72±8.15, 91.20±6.57 and 94.59±8.14mmHg respectively (p<0.01) Mean pulse pressure in BMI groups mentioned above were also statistically significant (p<0.01), i.e., 36.32±6.43, 39.12±8.12, 40.33±6.78 and 43.49±6.67mmHg respectively. Similarly, systolic BP (mmHg) in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese were 111.32±9.31, 113.17±10.41, 120.86±9.23 and 127.23±10.77 respectively (p<0.01). Conclusion: Peripheral vascular resistance varies in accordance with body mass index, but no variation is noted on the basis of gender. In the present study, mean systolic and diastolic BP were significantly different on the basis of difference in BMI.