Comparison Of Spirometric Pulmonary Function In Subjects With Apple And Pear Shape Fat Distribution

ABSTRACT

Background: The pattern of obesity as decided by body fat distribution is an important predictor of adverse health effects such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and coronary events. Waist hip ratio has been correlated with cardiovascular risk. Obesity is been known to cause restrictive respiratory impairment however; the effect of body fat distribution on the respiratory system is often underappreciated and limited evidence is available on spirometric pulmonary function in subjects with different body fat distribution. Hence here is a need to know weather pattern of obesity affects pulmonary function. Objectives: 1) To measure Waist Hip ratio (WHR) of subjects having BMI of more than 23 kg/m2 and based on this form two groups, one with apple and the other with pear shape fat distribution 2) To measure FVC and FEV1 in subjects of the above two groups.3) To compare FVC, FEV1 and %FEV1/FVC in above two groups. Methodology: In this comparative study a total of 182 subjects comprising of 91 subjects of Apple shaped and Pear shaped each were recruited in a period of 6 months. Study Settings The study was conducted in the outpatient Physiotherapy department of a tertiary care hospital. The subjects in the study belonged to age group of 18-40 years. The mean age of the enrolled subjects was 29 years. Outcome measure: 1.FVC (L); 2. %FEV1 /FVC Results: The present study provides the evidence that FVC and %FEV1/FVC values are not statistically different in apple and pear shaped fat distribution individuals. Although both apple and pear shaped individuals showed %FEV1/FVC value more than 70% predicted, apple shaped individuals showed greater obstructive tendency i.e. reduced flow rates as compared to pear shaped individuals. Also more individuals of apple shaped showed restrictive pattern as compared to pear shaped. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in the pulmonary function test in the two groups but there is a possibility of subclinical reduction in pulmonary function more in apple shaped than in pear shaped individuals