Relationship between Body Mass Index and Flexibility in Young Adults

BACKGROUND: Flexibility is important for general health and fitness, athletic performance, injury prevention and rehabilitation. Sedentary behavior of students leads to decreased physical fitness levels which affects flexibility. There is little evidence regarding relationship between BMI and flexibility.

Aim: To study the relationship between BMI and flexibility and BMI and physical activity in young adults.

Study Design: Observational study

Place and Duration Of Study: The study was carried out at College of Physiotherapy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara from September 2019 to March 2020.

Methods: Males and females between 18 to 30 years were included in the study. BMI, Sit and Reach Test for low back and hamstring flexibility, Active Knee Extension Test (AKET) for hamstrings and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) for physical activity levels were assessed.

Results: 570 participants with mean age of 20.23±2.07 years were included. Mean BMI was 21.83±4.81 kg/m2. Number of females were 462 and males were 108. There was no significant correlation between BMI and flexibility of low back (P=.247) and hamstring (Rt) (P=.668) (Lt) (P=.354). BMI and GPAQ showed a statistically significant association (P=0.02). There was a weak positive correlation which was statistically significant between GPAQ and SART (P =0.000) and a weak negative correlation which was statistically significant between GPAQ and Rt AKET (P=0.004).

Conclusion: There was no significant correlation found between BMI and flexibility. There was a statistically significant association between BMI and physical activity, a weak negative correlation between GPAQ and hamstring flexibility and weak positive correlation between GPAQ and SART.