Abstract
Background: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) has been suggested to be a reliable alternative to fasting plasma glucose in diagnosing hyperglycemia and monitoring glycemic control especially in individuals with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Obesity has been largely incriminated to be a major risk factor for T2DM. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), anthropometric measurements and glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c) in obese subjects attending the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective comparative study that which compared the levels of glycated hemoglobin in 70 obese and 30 nonobese control participants. Whole blood HbA1c was quantified using kits from Pointe scientific Inc. USA. The method was controlled and validated using Pointe™ control reagents from the manufacturer. Results: The mean HbA1c, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio for obese participants were; 6.13 ± 2.76%, 128.14 ± 12.65 mmHg, 88.56 ± 11.87 mmHg, 106.90 ± 13.52 and 0.87 ± 0.072, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those of the nonobese control subjects with HbA1c, SBP and DBP of 5.34 ± 1.15, 114.00 ± 7.24 mmHg and 88.56 ± 11.87 mmHg (P < 0.05). A significant mean difference was observed between all the classes of obesity (Class I-III) and the control in all the parameters. A positive correlation between BMI, anthropometric measurements and HbA1c was observed in obese participants (r = 0.341 P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings from this study indicated that obese individuals have higher risk of developing T2DM if appropriate interventions are not considered. Glycated hemoglobin may be used as a reliable, feasible, and fairly accurate tool for screening and assessing blood glycemic control in obese subjects who are at risk of developing T2DM.
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