ESTIMATION OF BODY MASS INDEX AMONG FIRST YEAR UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS IN AN UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL AT CHENNAI

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass (weight) and height of a person. The BMI is a convenient rule of thumb used to broadly categorize a person as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on tissue mass (muscle, fat, and bone) and height. Methods: The study was conducted among 100 first year undergraduate dental students, during the month of February 2021. Students belong to the age group of 17 to 20. No personal identifiers were collected. Participants were asked to fill a consent form and a proper awareness of the study was given. The data collected were analysed using SPSS software version 23. Chart analysis was carried out with data collected in software and results were represented in pie charts and bar graphs. Results: The study involved 54% male and 46% female participants. From the study it was evident that about 25.5% of the participants were found to be overweight and 14.3% of the participants were found to be underweight. Conclusion: From the present study it can be concluded that there is an increased variance in BMI seen among females than in males. The progressive increase in the mean BMI among females is alarming as the BMI depends on sex and generally less among women.