ABSTRACT
Background: The current study was designed to evaluate cardio respiratory fitness in terms of VO2max in young healthy males and to correlate between body mass index and cardio respiratory fitness. Methods: One hundred twenty-five apparently healthy male subjects in the age group of 18 to 25 years were included in this study group. Body mass index was measured as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters square. Cardio respiratory fitness in terms of VO2max was predicted by following the protocol of Treadmill Jogging Test (TMJ). Results: There was a highly significant negative correlation between body mass index and VO2max, r = -0.75 p<0.0001. Conclusion: The result suggests that the reduced cardiac performance during progressive work rate exercise in obese individuals. Greater the BMI, more severe will be the functional impairment, suggesting excessive amount of body fat on cardio-respiratory functions and oxygen uptake by working muscles
ABSTRACT
Background: Iron requirements are increased in adolescent girls with growth and the onset of menarche and remain high in women until menopause. Methods: We conducted a study on two study groups of girls in age group 18-25 years belonging to different socioeconomic classes as per the Modified Kuppuswamy’s Scale to study the effect of the phases of menstrual cycle & socioeconomic class on the iron status indicators (Hb, Serum Iron, TIBC, MCV & TS%).Menstrual phases were defined and blood samples were drawn from all the girls in all the 3 phases (menstrual, follicular & luteal) and Hb, Serum iron & Total iron binding capacity were assessed on a semi-auto-analyzer & MCV was estimated using a fully automated CBC machine. Transferrin Saturation was derived as Serum Iron / TIBC × 100. Results: We found significant (p< 0.01) difference in iron status indicators in both our groups, the values of iron status indicators varied significantly according to the menstrual cycle, with values highest during the luteal phase and lowest during the menstrual phase. From our observations we can conclude that the nutritional status (assessed by the height, weight & BMI) and the iron status indicators both differ significantly in the two age-matched comparable socio-economic groups. Conclusion: socioeconomic class has a major determining role on an individual’s health. The effect of hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle also has a part to play in the variation of iron status measures, which has to be considered while measuring them in a female during her reproductive years