The Association between flat feet and body mass index in the adult population: A systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: Flat foot is one of the foot disorders that seems insignificant but, it may give an impact on the quality of life in a long-term. The causative factors of flat feet can many but one of them is having higher body mass index (BMI). While flat feet incidence is common, its relationship with body mass index remains equivocal. Aim: This systematic review investigated the association between flat feet and body mass index in the adult population. Methods: A systematic search of three electronic databases was conducted. Studies on human adults (>18 years) with flat feet and gold standard outcome measures were included. This review was conducted and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) was utilised to assess the methodological quality. All articles had good score of methodological quality. Results: Out of the 720 articles that were screened, only eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. From these eight articles, seven studies reported a significant relationship between flat feet and body mass index in the adult population. Conclusion: There is a significant association between flat feet and body mass index among the adult population. Therefore, as the BMI increases, the chances of developing flat feet increases.

Keywords: Flat feet; Pes Planus; Body mass index; Association; Relationship