Obesity significantly increased the risk of high blood pressure (OR 5.44) and poor vital capacity index (OR 15.61) compared to normal weight among Chinese medical students.
Cross-Sectional (n=843)
No
Does higher body mass index increase blood pressure and decrease vital capacity index in healthy medical students?
Higher BMI in medical students is significantly associated with increased blood pressure and decreased vital capacity index, highlighting the importance of weight control for cardiopulmonary health.
Effect estimate: OR 5.44 (95% CI 2.28-13.02)
Absolute Event Rate: 62.8% vs 18.3%
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: The widely reported associations between body mass index (BMI) and various chronic diseases, such as hypertension and asthma, have garnered significant attention. Nonetheless, there remains a dearth of research dedicated to understanding the health impacts of medical school on the students, who experience considerable academic pressure. In that context, this study was driven by the goal of investigating the intricate interplay between BMI, blood pressure (BP), and vital capacity among medical students. METHODS: This study included a cohort of 843 medical students enrolled at Southern Medical University who were selected through random cluster sampling. Within this cohort, measurements of height, weight, BP, and vital capacity were taken. Subsequently, both BMI and vital capacity index (VCI) were calculated for each participant. By categorizing the subjects into four groups according to BMI classifications, a comprehensive analysis that included correlation assessments and binomial logistic regression was conducted. RESULTS: Within the participant pool, 9.4% and 3.8% of participants were classified as overweight and obese, respectively. Additionally, the prevalence of prehypertension, hypertension, and poor VCI was 18.1%, 2.7%, and 13.5%, respectively. Notably, male students exhibited a higher prevalence of the aforementioned health issues than their female counterparts. Correlation analysis revealed that BMI displayed positive associations with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and vital capacity (r = 0.372, 0.257, 0.428; P < 0.001). However, an inverse correlation emerged between BMI and VCI (r = -0.284, P < 0.001). Further analysis revealed that overweight and obese individuals faced an elevated risk of high blood pressure (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.15-3.67 and OR 5.44, 95% CI 2.28-13.02, respectively) compared to their normal-weight counterparts. Moreover, these groups also exhibited a higher risk of poor VCI (OR 5.25, 95% CI 3.04-9.06 and OR 15.61, 95% CI 6.81-35.81, respectively), while underweight subjects experienced a reduced risk (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.52). CONCLUSIONS: BMI demonstrated a notably strong positive correlation with both BP and vital capacity and a negative correlation with VCI. Therefore, for medical students as well as the daily health care of patients, weight control is recommended to better combat obesity-related diseases, for example, cardiopulmonary diseases, gout and diabetes.
Song et al. (Wed,) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy medical students (n=843). Obesity (BMI > 27.9 kg/m2) vs. Normal weight (BMI 18.5-23.9 kg/m2) was evaluated on High blood pressure (OR 5.44, 95% CI 2.28-13.02, p=<0.001). Obesity significantly increased the risk of high blood pressure (OR 5.44) and poor vital capacity index (OR 15.61) compared to normal weight among Chinese medical students.