Influence of obesity on spatiotemporal gait parameters among female students from Jouf University, Saudi Arabia

Study aim: The aim of the current study is to explore the effect of obesity on spatiotemporal parameters of gait in obese young female students.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study with fifteen obese female university students (mean age = 20.3 ± 1.6, mean BMI = 36.2 ± 4.6) and fifteen normal weight female university students (mean age = 20.9 ± 2, mean BMI = 22.6 ± 2.4) was conducted. The spatiotemporal gait parameters were evaluated using GAITRite® walkway (Frankline, USA, Model No. TR30RAM090 with software version 4.89C2).

Results: Independent sample t-test showed statistical significant differences in some spatiotemporal gait parameters between normal and obese subjects with statistically significant reductions of single-limb support time, step length, stride length, and velocity in the obese subjects rather than normal subjects (p = 0.031, 0.015, 0.039, and 0.002, respectively). Moreover, there were statistically significant increases of step time, stride time in the obese subjects rather than the normal subjects (p = 0.038, 0.017, respectively).

Conclusion: These results suggested that obesity is a factor that adversely affects the spatiotemporal gait parameters in the obese young female. This may be contributed to decrease the joints’ mobility and increase the incidence of joint osteoarthritis. So, it is recommended to encourage the sufficient physical activity and weight reduction among obese female students.