Abstract

CORRELATION BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX AND WAIST-HIP RATIO AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF SANA'A AND UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SANA'A CITY, YEMEN, 2020

Dr. Mansour M. A. Ghaleb*

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Abstract

Background: body mass index (BMI) is an indicator of overall adiposity while waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are indicators for abdominal adiposity. The aim of study was to assess the correlation between BMI and WHR among medical student of university of Sana’a as the government university and university of science and technology as the privet university in Sana’a city, Yemen. WHR and BMI were determined using standard methods, conducted from October to December 2020. Cross sectional study carried out with a total number of 396, with equal number of gender, aged between 17 to 27 years with mean and SD 21.6 ± 1.4 years. Males had higher means in height, weight and waist circumference, the differences were significant. 24%, 58.1%, 14.1% and 3.8% of students were in BMI classification undernourished, normal, pre-obese and obese respectively. WHR mean of males was higher than that of females. It represents 0.83 and 0.77 respectively. The difference was significant. Degrees of metabolic complication risk according to WHR males were in greater risk. In conclusion the overall correlation was small (0.075), and not significant (p value is 0.135). In females, the correlation was weak and not significant (p value = 0.361). The correlation between WHR and BMI show that there was a positive correlation between WHR and BMI in males (r= 0.366). It was significant (p value = 0.000). So, we recommend to do further studies to obtain a full picture on correlation.

Keywords: Correlation, BMI and WHR.