Associations between Body Mass Index and Visual Impairment of School Students in Central China

Fen Yang, Chongming Yang, Yuzhong Liu, Shuzhen Peng, Bei Liu, Xudong Gao and Xiaodong Tan
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Fen Yang: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, 115# Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
Chongming Yang: Research Support Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Yuzhong Liu: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, 115# Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
Shuzhen Peng: Teenagers Vision Prevention and Control Center, Huangpi District People’s Hospital, 259# Baixiu Street, Wuhan 4300300, China
Bei Liu: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, 115# Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
Xudong Gao: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, 115# Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
Xiaodong Tan: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, 115# Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-10

Abstract: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a risk indicator for some eye diseases. However, the association between BMI and Visual Impairment (VI) was not quite certain in Chinese students. Our aim was to assess the relationship between BMI and VI with a cross-sectional study. A total of 3771 students aged 6–21 years, including 729 with VI, were sampled from 24 schools in Huangpi District of central China to participate in the study. A multistage stratified cluster random sampling was adopted. Each of the students answered a questionnaire and had physical and eye examinations. The association between BMI and VI was examined with logistic regression and threshold effect analysis. The prevalence of VI was 19.33% (729/3771). Compared to normal and underweight, overweight/obese students showed a stronger relation with VI in age- and sex-adjusted (Odds Ratio (OR) = 16.16, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 12.37–21.09, p < 0.001) and multivariable models (OR = 8.32, 95% CI: 6.13–11.30, p < 0.001). There was a nonlinear dose–response relation between levels of BMI and the prevalence of VI ( p < 0.001). A high level of BMI (?19.81 kg/m 2 ) was associated with a higher VI prevalence (adjusted OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15–1.25, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the study demonstrated BMI levels were significantly associated with the prevalence of VI.

Keywords: visual impairment; obesity; Body Mass Index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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