Association of Body Mass Index with Blood Pressure in Young Adults

Background: The prevalence of hypertension is escalating among younger populations. Hypertension is emerging as a major public health concern worldwide particularly in South Asian countries. Lifestyle factors especially BMI directly contribute to early risk. Objective: The study was aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and blood pressure in young adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 589 young students aged 19–21 years at University of Lahore, Lahore. Demographic data, and BMI were recorded on a prescribed proforma. Blood pressure was categorized into normotensive, prehypertensive, and hypertensive groups. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and calculation of mean ± SEM values for systolic and diastolic blood pressure across gender and BMI categories. Results: Out of the 589 participants, 55.2% were male and 44.8% female. Family history of hypertension was reported in 37.3% of subjects. BMI distribution showed 14.1% underweight, 55.9% normal, 24.9% overweight, and 5% obese. Overall, 88.5% were normotensive, 10.2% prehypertensive, and 1.3% hypertensive by systolic criteria. 90% were normotensive, 6.8% prehypertensive, and 3.2% hypertensive by diastolic criteria. Obese individuals demonstrated the highest prevalence of elevated blood pressure, with 63.3% prehypertensive and 13.3% hypertensive systolic values, and 36.7% prehypertensive and 33.3% hypertensive diastolic values. Mean systolic and diastolic pressures increased progressively with BMI, and males consistently exhibited higher values than females. Chi-square analysis showed significant association between blood pressure status and BMI in young adults (p < 0.001). Conclusion: BMI is strongly associated with elevated BP in young adults, with obesity conversing the greatest risk. The finding of this study highlights the need for early preventive strategies targeting weight management and lifestyle modification to lessen the burden of hypertension.