ASSESSMENT OF BODY MASS INDEX IN RELATION TO RENAL FUNCTION PARAMETERS AMONG APPARENTLY HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple measure of body fitness and a potential predictor of kidney health. This study explored the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and renal function parameters among 150 apparently healthy undergraduates aged 16–25 years at the University of Benin. Participants were carefully screened to exclude confounding conditions, and anthropometric measurements were taken. Venous blood samples were analyzed for serum creatinine, urea, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Data were processed using SPSS version 20. Results showed that 10.7% of participants were underweight, 81.3% had normal weight, 5.3% were overweight, and 2.7% were obese. Mean renal function values were within normal ranges, sodium: 138.21 ± 2.74 mmol/L, potassium: 3.87 ± 0.22 mmol/L, bicarbonate: 23.32 ± 1.61 mmol/L, Chloride: 98.33 ± 2.36 mmol/L, urea: 28.07 ± 6.08 mg/dL, creatinine: 0.84 ± 0.17 mg/dL, and eGFR: 112.84 ± 21.11 mL/min/1.73 m². There was no significant correlation between BMI and all renal parameters. In this study, BMI did not significantly influence renal function. The presence of overweight and obesity highlights the need for proactive health education, lifestyle counseling, and regular renal screening to prevent future kidney disease. The study concludes that BMI is not significantly correlated with serum creatinine, urea, electrolytes, or eGFR in this population and recommends larger, longitudinal research to assess long-term effects of elevated BMI on renal health.