Does Body Mass Index Affect Postural Control in Adults?

Obese adults are faced with greater challenges to maintaining balance compared to their healthy-weight counterparts. Due in part to the ongoing national and global obesity epidemic, it's imperative to identify if body mass index (BMI) could negatively affect postural control and balance. The purpose of this study was to determine if CoP scores displayed a significant relationship with BMI in healthy adults. Cross-sectional, archival data from 225 adults (40 males; 185 females; age 29.6 ± 14.25 years; weight 77.95 ± 21.33 kilograms [kg]; height 168.43 ± 0.66 centimeters [cm]; BMI 27.52 ± 0.42 kg/m) were analyzed. Four (4) CoP scores were collected using a Bertec® Dynamic Computerized Posturography Plate (Bertec, Columbus, OH) including Normal Surface Eyes Open (NSEO), Normal Surface Eyes Closed (NSEC), Perturbed Surface Eyes Open (PSEO), and Perturbed Surface Eyes Closed (PSEC). Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to determine if there were significant (p < 0.05) relationships between each of the 4 CoP conditions with BMI. A significant, weak negative relationship (r = -0.180; p = 0.007) was demonstrated between BMI and NSEO condition. Weak, insignificant negative relationships were demonstrated between BMI and NSEC (r = -0.065; p = 0.33) and PSEO (r = -0.021; p = 0.70) conditions. A weak, insignificant relationship was demonstrated between BMI and PSEC (r = 0.075; p = 0.25) condition. Obesity, as indicated by BMI, could lead to poorer postural control under normal surface, eyes open conditions.