Serum Proteins Alteration in
Association with Body Mass
Index in Human Volunteers
CC05-CC07
Correspondence
Dr. G.V. Lathadevi,
Professor, Department of Physiology, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (PSGIMS & R),
Coimbatore – 641 004, India.
E-mail: lathaphysio1965@gmail.com
Introduction: Serum proteins are an important indicator of the nutritional status in an individual. There is a worldwide prevalence of both undernourishment and obesity. It has been suggested that low Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with a decrease in serum protein levels predisposing them to other illnesses. Overweight and obese individuals carry risk for various other non-communicable diseases.
Aim: To compare the serum protein levels in underweight, overweight and obese individuals with that of normal body mass index individuals.
Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in subjects who attended the master health checkup clinic of PSG hospitals. Subjects in the age group of 20-50 years were selected. Their serum proteins and BMI was measured. Twenty subjects each of underweight, normal, overweight and obese individuals were selected, categorized and compared.
Results: The serum protein level of normal individuals (Group I) was compared with underweight (Group II), overweight (Group III) and obese subjects (Group IV) by one-way ANOVA analysis. The mean serum total proteins in gm/dl in group I controls was 7.555±0.37 compared to Group II (underweight) which was 7.295±0.419. Low BMI was found to be associated with a decrease in serum protein level which was not statistically significant. Elevated BMI as in overweight and obese subjects showed no significant alterations in serum protein levels with p >0.05 and the changes were found to be independent of the body mass index.
Conclusion: Underweight individuals showed a decrease in serum protein levels whereas there were no significant changes in the serum protein levels in overweight and obese individuals.