ASSOCIATION OF ANEMIA WITH BODY MASS INDEX

Abstract

Objective: To find out the association between anaemia and Body Mass Index (BMI) and determine how age, marital status, and anaemia-related fatigue in females are linked to BMI.

Study Design: It is a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: It was conducted from  May 2025 to November 2025, at Punjab Rangers Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.

Methodology: In this study, convenience sampling was used to select 380 females aged 12 years and above. Data were gathered using a predesigned questionnaire and laboratory assessment. BMI was grouped into low, normal and high classes after calculating it from height and weight measurements. Likewise, anemia was categorised into microcytic hypochromic and normocytic normochromic subtypes based on MCV and MCHC values. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant using chi-square test. SPSS version 27 was used for analysis at a 95% confidence level.
Results: Our findings established that anaemia and high BMI are correlated (p = 0.007) with microcytic hypochromic type appearing more among 68.5% (n=169) of obese participants. Similarly, age, marital status, and anemia-related fatigue were strongly linked to higher BMI group (p < 0.001). Both age groups (more than 40 and 58.3%, n=172 individuals under 40 years) comprised of greater BMI.  Additionally, elevated BMI status was also seen among 79.2% (n=243) of participants who experienced anemia-related fatigue and 85.9% (n=219) of married females.

Conclusion: This study emphasised an important research gap within Pakistan that demands the formation of customized health and clinical initiatives by demonstrating a substantial relationship between anaemia and high BMI.