ABO Blood Group and Their Association with Body Mass Index (BMI) in A Tertiary Higher Institution

Introduction: Numerous disorders have been linked with certain ABO blood groups. The ABO antigens exhibit an important role in cell physiology and pathology, including infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and metabolic diseases. With the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Asia, the use of BMI as a disease predictor has grown in importance. This study aimed to determine the association of the ABO blood group with BMI among Sarawakian medical undergraduates in UNIMAS. Materials and methods: A total of 104 Sarawakian medical undergraduates participated in this cross-sectional study [UNIMAS/TNC(PI)/09-65/01 Jld.2 (75)]. The BMI of each participant was measured and categorised as underweight, normal, overweight or obese. The ABO blood groups were determined using the tile method and recorded onto a data collection form. Alldata was analysed using the IBM SPSS version 28.0. Results: Blood group B (n=36) was found to be the most prevalent blood group, followed by O (n=34) and A (n=24). Most of the students were classified as being overweight (n=35), and 23 students were classified as being obese. The highest prevalence of obesity and overweight were observed in blood group B (n=7) and A (n=12, respectively. Discussion/Conclusion: A significant association between ABO blood groups and the different BMI classes (p<0.05) was observed, suggesting a possible link between the ABO antigens and BMI.