CORRELATION BETWEEN OBESITY AND THYROTROPIN (TSH) IN CLINICALLY EUTHYROID SUBJECTS.

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Abhijit Rakshit,
Block-2, Flat-3c,
Shakuntala Garden, 609 Laskarhat,
Kolkata-700039, West Bengal, India.
E-mail: drabhijitr81@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH, Thyrotropin) induces adipogenesis and adipokine production directly and may contribute to the evolution of obesity, independent of any involvement of the thyroid gland. This study has been conducted to evaluate the association of minor disturbances of thyroid function with changes in obesity indicators like Body Mass Index (BMI) & Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR). We wanted to assess the correlation between the serum TSH level and the various besity indicators.

METHODS

This study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, MGM Medical college, Kishanganj, Bihar, in collaboration with the Department of Biochemistry and Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, between 2014 and 2016, among 200 medical and paramedical students (100 males and 100 females) attending classes in the Department of Physiology, found to be clinically euthyroid with no family history of thyroid disorder and no history of taking any medication which may affect the thyroid profile.

RESULTS

In this study the average height of males (1.76 ± 0.055 metres) is greater than the average height of females (1.58± 0.077 metres). Average weight is also higher in males (85.14 ± 11.181 kgs) than females (61.20±11.963 kgs). Therefore, in this study BMI is more in males (27.61± 4.790 kg/m²) in comparison to females (25.59 ±5.109 kg/m²). This observation regarding BMI contradicts the findings of Kota SK et al,¹⁶ Jung CH et al¹⁵ studies where the BMI is more in females than in males, whereas observation of Mahanta M et al¹⁷ is that BMI of males (21.41 ± 2.197 kg/m²) was slightly more than that of females (21.36 ± 2.995 kg/m²) which to some extent corresponds with the findings of this study. Average Waist Circumference (WC) of males (0.89 ± 0.093 metres) is greater than the average WC of females (0.77±0.107 metres) and average Hip Circumference (HC) is greater in males (1.04±0.067 metres) than females (0.97 ± 0.102 metres) in this study. Therefore, it has been observed that Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) is more in males (0.86 ± 0.057) than in females (0.78 ± 0.048) in this study. Result of WHR in our study corroborates with observation of Mahanta M et al¹⁷ where WHR in male group (0.84 ± 0.059) was more than female group (0.77 ± 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

There is no correlation between BMI and serum TSH levels in female subjects, whereas there is moderate direct correlation between TSH level and BMI, TSH level and Weight in male group and there is good inverse correlation between TSH level and WHR in female group and moderate inverse correlation between TSH level and Weight, TSH level and Waist Circumference in female subjects.

KEY WORDS

TSH, Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Hip Ratio (WHR).