Effect of Posture on Pulse Rate in Obese Young Adults of Bharuch City

Introduction: Obesity is a major health burden as more than 3 million adults die worldwide. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an easy tool to classify person in normal to obese categories. Obesity leads to development of autonomic dysfunctions and alters pulse rate on changing posture of our body. This study compare and asses effect of posture on pulse rate in normal and obese young adults. Materials & Methods: This study involved 30 healthy male and female participants with BMI 18.5 – 24.9 as Normal, and 30 healthy male and female participants with BMI > 30 as obese. All participants were young adults from 18 to 25 years of age. Detailed history were recorded and Pulse rate (PR) measured for 1 minute after 5 minutes of rest in supine position first. Followed by immediate measurement of PR on change of sitting and standing positions. Data were collected and analysed. Results: We found increased PR on change in posture from supine to sitting to standing in both normal and obese participants. Additionally, significantly high PR in obese participants as compare to normal participants in sitting position. In supine position, Obese had significantly high PR than normal participants. Conclusion: We concluded that high PR in obese is due to imbalance in autonomic activity that leads to decreased parasympathetic activity. Hence they are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future.