Associations Between Body Mass Index and Hematological Parameters in Obese and Normal-Weight Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study Obez ve Normal Ağırlıklı Adölesanlarda Beden Kitle İndeksi ve Hematolojik Parametreler Arasındaki İlişkiler: Kesitsel Çalışma

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Demirelce Ö.

Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences, cilt.45, sa.2, ss.85-91, 2025 (Scopus, TRDizin)

Özet

Objective: Although many studies are showing that obesity is an inflammatory condition, to our knowledge, there are few studies showing the effects of obesity on erythrocyte indices and thrombotic risk in adolescence. This study aimed to investigate the impact of obesity on these hematological parameters in an adolescent cohort. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which 52 obese (body mass index (BMI)>30) and 60 normal-weight (BMI=20-25) adolescents aged 10-19 participated. Weight, height, BMI, and blood count parameters were included in the study. The obese and control groups were matched for age and gender (p=0.08, p=0.26). Results: The mean age of the obese group was 14±3.7 years, and the normal-weight group was 15±2.42. While the male/female ratio in the obese group was 34/18, in the control group this ratio was 33/27. When we examined the blood count parameters between the 2 groups, significant differences were found between the Red Blood Cells (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Platelet Distribution Width (PDW), and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) parameters, respectively. (p=0.009, p=0.038, p=0.03, p=0.02). In the correlation analysis between blood count parameters and BMI, it was seen that the positive correlation with RBC was significant and the negative correlations with MCV and NLR were significant. (p=0.006, p=0.01, p=0.03). In multivariate binary regression analysis, the independent negative association between RBC and obesity was significant (p=0.028). Conclusion: The significant relationship between BMI and RBC, MCV, PDW, and NLR in the adolescent age group in our study indicates that obesity may be associated with thrombosis and vascular disease, which are shown by hematological parameters in adolescence. Future studies using blood count parameters and indices in this age group should take into account the participants’ BMI.