The aim of this study was to recategorise body mass index (BMI) in order to classify patients according to their risk of semen abnormalities. Patients (n=20563) presenting at an andrology laboratory were classified into five groups according to BMI: underweight (BMI <20kg m−2), normal weight (BMI 20–24.9kg m−2), overweight (BMI 25–29.9kg m−2), obese (BMI 30–39.9kg m−2) and morbidly obese (BMI >40kg m−2). Semen quality was evaluated to determine: (1) differences between groups using analysis of variance (ANOVA); (2) the chances of semen abnormalities (using generalised linear models, Chi-squared tests and odds ratios); (3) reference BMI values with andrological predictive power (multivariate conglomerate analyses and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)); and (4) expected values of abnormalities for each new group resulting from BMI recategorisation. Morbidly obese and underweight patients exhibited the highest decrease in semen quality and had higher chances of semen abnormalities. The smallest number of sperm abnormalities was found at a BMI of 27kg m−2. Four reference values were identified, recategorising BMI into four groups according to their risk of semen abnormalities (from lowest to highest risk): Group1,BMI between 20 and 32kg m−2; Group2, BMI <20 and BMI >32–37kg m−2; Group3, BMI >37–42kg m−2; and Group4, BMI >42kg m−2. A BMI <20 or >32kg m−2 is negatively associated with semen quality; these negative associations on semen quality increase from a BMI >37kg m−2 and increase even further for BMI >42kg m−2. The BMI recategorisation in this study has andrological predictive power.
Response: An exploration of the association between male body mass index and semen quality