Associations between body size and visual impairment of first-year university students in Chongqing: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The relationship between body size and visual impairment (VI) presents a controversial topic in the health sciences. This study aims to evaluate and clarify the potential associations between these 2 variables. We conducted a cross-sectional study on first-year students enrolled in 2022 at the Southwest University of Political Science & Law. The students underwent a series of physical examinations and visual acuity tests. Visual impairment was classified into 3 categories: mild, moderate, or severe. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the association between body size and VI. Our findings indicated a high prevalence of VI among first-year university students; more than 80% of them were affected. In bivariate analysis, height and weight were negatively related to the presence of VI. However, BMI (body mass index) was not related to VI. By adjusting all available confounders, no associations between BMI (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 0.974–1.032, P = .877), height (OR = 0.998, 95% CI = 0.967–1.010, P = .298), weight (OR = 0.999, 95% CI = 989–1.009, P = .860), and mild-severe VI were found in females. For males, the ORs were 0.988 (95% CI = 0.955–1.021, P = .459), 0.980 (95% CI = 0.954–1.006, P = .135), and 0.995 (95% CI = 0.985–1.004, P = .285) for BMI, height, and weight, respectively. Among young adults demonstrating high academic performance in high schools, the cessation of physical growth, combined with potential eye strain resulting from overuse, may mitigate any previously observed positive associations between physical status and VI in younger children.