A study of relation between body mass index and simple reaction time in healthy young females

Reaction time is an indirect index of processing capabilities of the central nervous system. The present study was carried out to determine if there is any influence of body mass index on "simple reaction time in healthy young females. In this study, 60 young female participants were allotted to one of the three anthropometric groups based on their body mass index (BMI). Their reaction time to auditory as well as visual stimuli was recorded. Results were expressed as mean, standard deviation and data was analyzed using one - way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's HSD test. Visual as well as auditory reaction time was longer in subjects having higher and lower BMI than normal. Visual reaction time was significantly longer in subjects with lower BMI as compared to that of subjects with normal BMI (P < 0.05). Thus body mass index of an individual affects sensory motor association.