AbstractBackground: Anthropometry is generally considered as the single most easily obtainable, inexpensive, and noninvasive method that reflects body composition and VO2 max is an indication of the physical fitness of the subject. There is a paucity of data on the age related changes in the body composition parameters and VO2max and the association between them in the Indian adult population. Hence, the present study was conceived to assess and find the association between these parameters in the adult age group of 25-35 years.
Objective: purpose of this study to establish the relationship of body mass index, waist/hip ratio, % body fat to aerobic capacity of young age males.
Materials and Methods: 30 adult males who undergo irregular physical activities and ranging the age from 25-35 years participated as subjects of the study. Selected parameters for the study were body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio, %body fat and aerobic capacity (vo2 max). Body composition was assessed using anthropometric measures (Height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and skin fold thickness) and aerobic capacity was assessed by using predicted VO2max from Queen’s college step Test.
Results: The mean values for body mass index (24.59±4.29) kg/m2, w/h ratio (1.13±0.041), % body fat (16.11± 4.09) and predicted VO2 max were (44.11 ±7.46) ml/kg/min respectively. There was a significant negative correlation of body mass index (-0.868, p-value= 0.012) and % body fat (-0.929, p-value=0.046) and a highly significant negative correlation of w/h ratio (-0.987, p-value=0.0041) observed in this study. The level of significance was set at 0.05.
Conclusion: The results suggest that cardio respiratory fitness in terms of aerobic capacity (vo2 max) are affected by composition of body. Excessive amount of waste fat exerts an unfavourable burden on cardiac function and oxygen uptake by working muscles. Low cardio-respiratory fitness in young adults with increased body fat could be a factor for developing cardiovascular comorbidities later in middle age and old age.