How good is the obesity associated with blood groups in a cohort of female university going students?

Objective: To find out frequency of obesity in female University students in Faisalabad and to investigate its association with blood groups of ABO system.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 200 female University students, recruited from the Faisalabad based institutes from May 2017 to July 2017. Relevant information was taken by administering questionnaire. Height in meters and weight in kg were taken by stadiometer. BMI was calculated using formula BMI=weight in kg/height m. Blood groups were determined by classic (antigen-antibody agglutination test). The data was analyzed through SPSS 20. Descriptive were presented as mean± SD and association of BMI with blood groups was assessed by regression analysis. P value ≤0.05 deemed statistically significant.

Results: Out of students, 192 attempted the questionnaire and participated in study (96% response rate), 30% of the 192 females were obese, distribution of ABO blood group showed 43%, followed by O, A and AB. 90% were Rh positive and 10% were Rh negative. Blood group O showed a trend towards obesity and blood group AB showed a trend towards lean body.

Conclusion: The blood group O showed the significant positive association with obesity. Population with blood group O showed greatest susceptibility to be overweight and obese.