Significant interplay of BMI and Anthropometric Profile on Gender-Specific Health Indicators.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate gender-based relationships among BMI, arm/chest circumference, and their influence on heart rate (HR), BP, and fasting blood sugar (FBS).

Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted with 157 participants aged 18-28 at the University of Lahore after institutional ethical approval (REG/GRT/22/AHS-129) from December 2022 to April 2023. Arm/chest circumference was measured. BMI was calculated. Standard protocols were followed to measure BP and HR. FBS was assessed through biochemical testing. A t-test and ANOVA were used to compare variables. For associations, the Pearson correlation was used.

Results: Significant differences were noted among all categories of BMI, HR, systolic-BP, and FBS. Females had a BMI 14.9% lower than males in overweight/obese (p=0.021). In the normal-HR category, females showed rates 5.82% lower than males (p=0.0002), while in the normal-BP category, females comprised 83.83% compared to 16.16% for males (p=0.027). Males had an FBS 3.79% higher than females in elevated-FBS (p=0.039) despite 70% of those affected being female. A positive correlation between FBS and HR was found in borderline and normal FBS. Being overweight/obese was positively associated with systolic-BP (p=0.006), diastolic-BP (p=0.011), arm-circumference (p=0.040), and chest circumference (p=0.018).

Conclusion: Overweight/obese females had a lower BMI but higher FBS than males, who had higher HR and BP. FBS is positively associated with HR in borderline and normal FBS categories. BMI significantly influenced arm/chest size, BP, and FBS. All overweight/obese females expressed a positive association with BP as well as arm and a negative association with HR.