European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

COMPARISON OF OBESITY MEASURES, BODY COMPOSITION AND BLOOD PRESSURE BY ETHNIC GROUPS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM SANTINIKETAN, INDIA

Nilanjana Biswas and Arnab Ghosh*

ABSTRACT

Aims: The present work on young adults was aimed to compare body composition, obesity measures and blood pressure in three ethnic groups. Methods: Participants aged between 17-30 years were recruited from residential students and scholars living at the hostels in Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. A total of 236 individuals including 133 males and 103 females were studied and were divided into three groups, viz. Group I comprised of Eastern Indian as represented by Bengalee young adults, Group II comprised of North-East Indians of Mongolian origin as represented by Nepalese & Bhutia young adults and Group III comprised of Proto-Australoid ethnic groups as represented by young adults of Santal tribe. Anthropometric measures were recorded using standard techniques. Body composition including obesity measures was subsequently computed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also obtained and mean arterial pressure was then computed using standard equation. Results: It was observed that there existed significant (p<0.001) ethnic group differences for SF4, TER, PBF and FM. However, no sex differences for BMI and WHR across the ethnic groups was also evident in the study. Furthermore, no significant differences for BMI categories by ethnic groups were evident too. It was also observed in the study that there existed no significant differences for central obesity status by ethnic groups and sex. It is noteworthy to mention that except cycling and walking, no other form of exercise was common amongst the participants. Conclusion: Ethnicity seems to play a vital role in explaining body composition including overweight and obesity and that such information is required to better comprehend the public health burden of obesity in young adults of Asian Indian origin.

Keywords: obesity, body composition, metabolic syndrome, ethnic groups, Asian Indians.