Abstract

Association and Correlation between Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure, and Visual Acuity in Students of Health Care Institution

Background: Obesity is one of the major public health problems with its prevalence increasing at overwhelming rates. It also increases the risk of several systemic diseases such as coronary heart disease. Aim and Objectives: To study the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) on visual acuity among apparently healthy young individuals and to compare these variations between boys and girls of the same age group. Methodology: This cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted amongst 200 subjects (100 male and 100 female subjects), age group (18-25 years) for whom blood pressure and BMI were measured with standard procedure, visual acuity was measured using Snellen’s chart. Results: The study population consists of 100 male and 100 female (mean age 20.72 ± 2.23 years). The majority (n=165) of the respondents had normal visual acuity. However, compared to the respondents of normal BMI and visual acuity in males (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 19.16 ± 1.5; L 19.05 ± 3.50), visual acuity of underweight (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 18.53 ± 2.30; �?°�?�?�?¿ 18.45 ± 2.70) and obese (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 15.68 ± 4.79; �?°�?�?�?¿ 17.73 ± 1.70) were more deviated. In case of females, normal visual acuity was (R 19.5 ± 2.72; L 19.07 ± 1.13) while visual acuity of underweight (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 17.03 ± 2.30; �?°�?�?�?¿ 17.53 ± 2.70) and obese (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 14.08 ± 4.71; �?°�?�?�?¿ 17.03 ± 1.70) respectively. Blood pressure range and visual acuity in normal respondent males subject was (SBP 121.21 ± 10.20 DBP 76.6 ± 6.08 mmHg); (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 18.03 ± 2.54; �?°�?�?�?¿ 18.04 ± 4.11), in hypotensive (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 15.9 ± 7.45; �?°�?�?�?¿ 15.03 ± 10.18), and in hypertensive (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 15.07 ± 21.28; �?°�?�?�?¿ 15.06 ± 11.87) respondents had deviated visual acuity, while in case of females (SBP 107.5 ± 10.20 DBP 72.3 ± 10.03 mmHg) (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 18.00 ± 1.54; �?°�?�?�?¿ 18.03 ± 43.11), hypotensive (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 16.9 ± 6.48; �?°�?�?�?¿ 16.03 ± 10.19), and hypertensive (�?°�?�?�??�?�?� 14.07 ± 19.28; �?°�?�?�?¿ 14.06 ± 10.87) respondents had deviated visual acuity. Conclusion: Abnormal body weight (underweight and obese) and BP (hypotension and hypertension) have potential negative impacts on visual acuity.

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