Abstract

EFFECT OF CENTRAL OBESITY ON SOME PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS IN WOMEN

*Baybeen K. Alselevany, Raghad Kh .Thanoon

ABSTRACT

Background: Obesity is a complex multifactorial chronic disorder that develops from an interaction of genotype and environments. The importance of fat distribution and central obesity was recognized already in the middle of the last century, when subjects with an android body shape were shown to have a higher probability of various diseases than gynoid shape subjects Objectives: this study was undertaken in order to show the effect of central pattern of fat distribution in obese women on some lung function tests. Subjects and methods: this study was conducted on 90 obese women (considered obese according to body mass index)), were constituted (according to waist circumference (WC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) cut-off points established by WHO for Asian population (women) into: A. Depending on WC: 1. Central obesity group (COG): 82 women with WC ≥80cm, aged (38.64 ± 3.60) years.2. Peripheral obesity group (POG): 8 women with WC <80cm, aged (42.33±2.40) years.Depending on WHR:1. COG: 80 women with WHR >0.8, aged (38.56±3.59) years.2. POG: 10 women with WHR ≤ 0.8, aged (40.80±3.77) years. Lung function tests such as FVC, FEV1and FEV1% were performed using computerized portable spirometer. Results: Looking at the results of spirometry in obese women, it is clear that the lung function parameters (FVC and FEV1) deteriorated markedly with increasing each of (WC and WHR). The results showed that COG (according to WC or WHR) had significantly lower FVC and FEV1 than POG, with significant negative correlations between each index of central obesity and each of (FVC and FEV1). Regarding FEV1% in centrally obese (according to WC or WHR), it was not significantly differed from peripherally obese and non-significant correlations between each of WC, WHR and this ratio were observed. Conclusions: In general the results of this study revealed that lung function tests might provide additional and useful laboratory tests for assessment of central obesity.

Keywords: Central obesity, WC, HC, WHR, Lung function tests.