Abstract:
Obesity is a significant health concern among young adults, yet its impact on
haematological parameters in young individuals remains underexplored. The present
study found that a higher body mass index (BMI) was linked to increased white blood
cell (WBC) count and platelet indices, along with a decreased eosinophil percentage,
suggesting obesity-related haematological alterations even in healthy undergraduates.
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 91 healthy females aged 18-25 after
obtaining ethical approval from the Ethics Review Committee of the Institute of
Biology, Sri Lanka (ERC IOBSL 380/11/2024). Participants were required to complete
a self-administered questionnaire to select healthy individuals without a diagnosed
chronic illness. Participants were excluded if they smoked, consumed alcohol, were
pregnant, recently ill, had haematological disorders, donated blood within the last six
months, or used medications/supplements affecting haematological parameters.
Anthropometric measurements were employed to calculate BMI. Height was recorded
using a standard stadiometer, with participants standing upright, their heels, hips, and
head aligned against the measuring surface. Body weight was assessed using a
calibrated electronic scale. Participants were divided into four groups according to
Asian BMI classification: underweight (BMI<18.5kg/m2), normal weight (BMI=18.5
22.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI=23.0-24.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI≥25.0 kg/m2). The
full blood count analysis was performed using an automated haematology analyser
(Mindray BC-20, Shenzhen, China). Correlation analysis was performed using Pearson
or Spearman coefficients, with p-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Statistically significant positive correlations were observed between BMI and total
WBC (r =0.434, p =0.000), absolute granulocyte count (r =0.362, p =0.000), platelet
count (PLT) (r =0.326, p =0.002), and plateletcrit (PCT) (r =0.383, p =0.000), whereas
eosinophil percentage showed a significantly negative association (r = -0.272, p
=0.009). Several WBC and platelet indices, including absolute lymphocyte count (r
=0.032, p =0.763), monocyte percentage (r = -0.187, p = 0.077), mean platelet volume
(r = 0.002, p = 0.982), and platelet distribution width (r = 0.048, p = 0.653), did not
demonstrate statistical significance with the BMI. Future research should explore
causal relationships between BMI and haematological alterations in more diverse
populations. Therefore, the present study contributes to understanding obesity induced
haematological alterations and provides a basis for future longitudinal investigations.
