To Study Variation of FEV1/FVC, with Respect to BMI (Body Mass Index) in Healthy Young Individuals in the Department of Physiology, Gauhati Medical College

Background: Spirometry is indispensable in the diagnosis & monitoring of airway obstruction. Lung volumes & ventilatory flows vary with age, stature, gender, ethnicity. BMI or Quetelet Index is an attempt to quantify tissue mass in an individual. Methods: A total of 100 healthy individuals between 18-25 years were selected for the study. Non- smoker & not having chronic respiratory illnesses. After signing the written consent, height, weight were found out by Stadiometer & digital weighing machine respectively. FEV1 & FVC were found out using a Helios RMS Medspiror electronic digital spirometer keeping room temperature at 24oC in the Department of Physiology, Gauhati Medical College ,Guwahati, Assam, India & BMI calculated by standard formulae , readings were analysed for statistical significance. For statistical analysis the value of the lung function parameters were presented as Mean?standard deviation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was employed for comparing the parameters and P-value<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: FEV1/FVC ratio in respect of BMI was analyzed .The test result revealed a non significant? p ?value of 0.544 (p>0.05), & no variability in respect of correlation between BMI & FEV1/FVC ratio, which suggested that BMI & FEV1/FVC ratio are independent of each other (as per this study). Conclusions: Our study showed that, there was no alteration in lung function with the increase/decrease of BMI. However, on analysis it was found that in obese /overweight individuals the ratio was decreased with rise of BMI implying both the variables might have some negative correlation but here individuals taken were normal individuals so the outcome was normal.