Influence of age, body mass index and waist-hip ratio on the human spine; a radiographic study of adult male subjects in Port Harcourt-Nigeria

The study determined the Lumbosacral angle (LSA) of male subjects and evaluated its relationship to age, BMI and Waist -Hip ratio. Lateral radiographs of one hundred and forty-two informed healthy male volunteers between the age of 18-60 were studied using Ferguson’s method, and analyzed with respect to age, waist hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI).. The result showed the average value for Lumbosacral angle was 34.060 ± 0.560, the body weight was 70.34 ± 1.02Kg, and BMI was 24. 64 ± 0.38Kgm-2. Angle values were observed to increase with age up to 32years, followed by a sinusoidal increase and decrease pattern thereafter. Significant correlations were observed between LSA and Body weight as well as between LSA and BMI (p