SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS IN YOUNG ADULTS WITH BMI OF 25 OR MORE

BACKGROUND: A Body mass index [BMI] of 25 or greater is a significant health problem associated with a variety of disorders and in adults it has been found to be a risk factor for hearing loss. Higher BMI is independently associated with increased hearing loss. We investigated the hypothesis that young adults with a BMI of 25 or more are at increased risk of mild sensorineural hearing loss. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess hearing acuity in individuals with high BMI (>= 25) by audiometric assessment and compare it with the control group (BMI <25). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A comparative and cross sectional study among volunteers residing in Bengaluru. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Data collected from 2 groups containing 30 participants each, test group contained individual with a BMI of 25 or more and the control group consisted individuals with BMI of <25, in the age group of 18-35 yrs. Pure tone audiometry was carried out across various frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 kHz) in both groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Student t-test was used to compare hearing thresholds across various frequencies in both groups. RESULTS: Compared to control group, high BMI (>= 25) was associated with increased pure tone hearing thresholds across lower frequencies (0.5, 1, 2 kHz). The degree of hearing loss is mild (26-40dB). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that young adults with a BMI of 25 or more are at increasing risk of mild sensorineural hearing loss.