Assessment of lung age and body mass index in young health care workers - A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Obesity has serious consequences on the functions of respiratory system, significant alterations in mechanics of respiration, gaseous exchange, and capacity to cope up with exercise and also severely affects compliance. Aim and Objective: The aim of this study was to study the relation between lung age and body mass index among young adults. Materials and Methods: The present study comprised 100 subjects (age group between 18 and 30 years). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied in their selection. Results: Mean lung age in Group A, B, and C was 23.29, 23.95, and 24.53. The F value was 0.259 and P = 0.772 which is statistically insignificant. Post hoc test was applied, mean and standard deviation between different groups were compared. When compared between Group A and B group, P = 0.692 which is not significant, between A group and group C, p value was 0.504 which is also not significant and between B group and C group, it was 0.792 which was also not significant. Conclusion: Obesity does not have direct effect on the lung age among healthy non-smoking adults and any such effect needs to be explained by underlying respiratory diseases.