Relationship of waist-hip ratio and body mass index to blood pressure among adult female students

The relationship between waist -hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) with blood pressure has not been much studied among healthy female in India. Therefore, this study was undertaken to test the relative efficacy of waist hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) to predict blood pressure among healthy college going female. Thirty one (31) healthy female college students who participate in regular physical activities were tested on height, weight, hip circumference, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Standard anthropometric techniques and formula were used. Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis were employed to analysis the data. There was significant relationship (p=.05) between body mass index (BMI) with systolic blood pressure (r=.42) and with diastolic blood pressure (r=.45). Further regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) explained 15 per cent of variance of systolic blood pressure and 18 per cent of variance of diastolic blood pressure among healthy college going female. However waist hip ratio (WHR) has not found significant relation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure.