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Correlation between Body Mass Index and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate of an Indigenous Nigerian Population in the Niger Delta Region

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Dept. of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, NIGERIA
  • 2 Dept. of Human Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Port Harcourt, NIGERIA

Res. J. Recent Sci., Volume 2, Issue (2), Pages 28-32, February,2 (2013)

Abstract

This study establishes the relationship between peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and body mass index (BMI), in a representative sample of 1133 subjects in oil and gas exploitation and exploration environments in Epebu and Okodi in Izon communities, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, comprising 601(or 53%) males and 532(or 47%) females of comparable equal age. The mean PEFR value for the cohort was 367.47±106.67L/min while that for males were higher than that for females, and suggests that continuous and prolonged exposure to oil and gas production environment leads to diminution in peak expiratory flow rate. BMI for women fell within the spectrum of the normal adult body mass index cut off point, somewhere in between 20 - 22 kg/m2 which represents the relatively small body frame of female adults. While BMI for males was suggestive that men are likely predisposed to developing overweight; their body mass fell within the pre-obese spectrum of 25 – 27 kg/m2. Our study indicates that weight gain in males might probably be attributed to the influence of genetic factors and environment on eating behaviour as well as sedentary activity; and that the inhibants of Izon communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria may have respiratory and pulmonary disorders related to prolonged exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals from oil and gas flared in the environment.

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