HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mandel, D. Articles by Kreiss, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mandel, D. Articles by Kreiss, Y.

Height-Related Changes in Body Mass Index: A Reappraisal

Medical Branch, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, ISRAEL

Address reprint requests to: Dror Mandel, MD, 3 Ha’Emek Street, Ramat Hasharon 47203, ISRAEL. E-mail: mandelrd{at}netvision.net.il

Objectives: To study the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and height in 20–22 year-old patients.

Methods: A research questionnaire filled by a representative sample of military personnel upon discharge from service was analyzed. At the same time, weight and height were measured, and BMI was calculated (BMI = weight (Kg)/height²(m²)).

Results: There were 35,951 participants in the study, including 16204 females and 19747 males. There was a positive correlation between BMI and height in men (regression slope = 0.00717, r = 0.015, p = 0.03), while the correlation was negative in women (regression slope = -0.02811, r = -0.05, p < 0.0001). In multiple regression analysis, when BMI was used as the dependent variable and height, gender, ethnic origin, smoking, oral contraceptive use, and level of recreational exercise as the independent variables, only height, gender, and ethnic origin remained significant in the final analysis (R-square 0.0205, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: In young adults, BMI is affected in a subtle, but opposite manner in males and females. In males, BMI increases with increasing height, while in females, BMI decreases with increasing height.

Key words: BMI, height, men, women, military, ethnicity

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Ghosh and P. Bharati Nutritional Status of Adults among Munda and Pod Populations in a Peri Urban Area of Kolkata City, India Asia Pac J Public Health, June 1, 2006; 18(2): 12 - 20. [PDF]