title: Body mass index and dynamic lung volumes in office workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the association of body mass index (BMI) to lung volumes assessed by spirometer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analytical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, from February to August 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-five apparently healthy adult office workers of either gender aged > 20 years were recruited. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated as kg/m2. Subjects were categorized as normal (BMI=18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2); overweight (BMI=25 to 29.9 kg/m2); and obese Class 1 (BMI=30 to 34.9 kg/m2) on the basis of BMI. Lung volumes were measured by digital spirometer and were reported as percentage of predicted values for forced vital capacity (FVC%), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1%) and ratio of FEV1 to FVC (FEV1:FVC). Groups were compared using t-test and ANOVA, correlation was assessed by Pearson's 'r'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences in lung volumes were found in different BMI categories. Obese subjects had significantly lower FVC% (p < 0.0001), as well as significantly lower FEV1% (p = 0.003) as compared to normal subjects. There were significant linear relationships between obesity and PFTs. BMI had significant negative linear association with FVC% in overweight (r = -0.197) and obese (r = - 0.488); and with FEV1% in obese subjects (r = -0.510). Gender and age had no significant effect on mean values of PFTs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese individuals in this sample had significant decline in lung volumes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, CMH Lahore Medical College, Lahore Cantt. sohailatta@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Attaur-Rasool
authors.forename: Tanvir Ali Khan
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Shirwany
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*