Estimation of Body Mass Index Using Body Circumferences among Girls and Women of Kumana Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Body mass index (BMI) is a handy tool for categorizing individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on tissue mass and height. Body circumferences are of great importance in determining body weight and tissue composition due to the limitation of BMI, especially when used to predict individual's health. The study aimed at estimating body mass index (BMI) using body circumferences among girls and women of Kumana Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 678 subjects residing in Kumana Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were selected for this study, all of them ranging between 10 – 78 years of age and devoid of any physical abnormalities or deformities. The anthropometric measurements were done using direct method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 21. Pearson correlation was used to determine the correlation between the study variables, simple linear and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to derive population specific equations for predicting BMI and ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc test was used to differentiate between the studied variables. P < 0.005 was deemed statistically significant. There were significant increases in all the parameters studied among the overweight individuals when compared with those that were normal and underweight, but foot circumferences showed no significant difference when compared among the body mass index. The studied parameters had a peak increase at age 40 – 49 years followed by a gradual decline from age 50 – 79 years old. There were positive significant correlations between body mass index and other parameters studied excluding the foot circumference which was negative and not significant. It was evident that all the studied parameters excluding foot circumference have the ability of predicting body mass index.

Key Words: Body Mass Index, Body Circumferences, Kumana Chiefdom, Girls, Women