A Study of Correlation Between BMI and Pulmonary Function Test

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are significant health issues in both developed and developing nations. As per the National Family Health Survey data, 12.1% of males and 16% of females in India are overweight or obese. The primary cause of this problem is an imbalance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure. While studies have explored the effect of obesity on pulmonary function tests (PFT), little attention has been given to the role of body fat distribution. While several studies have reported on PFT in obesity, only a few studies have been conducted on underweight individuals, and there are very few comparative studies of PFT that include all three categories of BMI. Hence, the current study aimed to evaluate the change in pulmonary functions in the three categories of BMI – normal, underweight, and overweight.