# The Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Cervical High-Risk HPV Positivity in Women: A Single-Center Study

## TL;DR

This study found no significant link between body mass index and high-risk HPV infection in women.

## Contribution

It clarifies the limited role of BMI in HR-HPV infection and related features.

## Key findings

- No significant difference in HR-HPV positivity between obese and non-obese women.
- BMI was not associated with HPV genotype distribution or cytological findings.
- HPV-68 was the most frequently detected genotype.

## Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary etiological agent of cervical cancer. Although obesity has been proposed as a factor influencing HPV acquisition and disease course through immune and metabolic mechanisms, its role remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and high-risk (HR)-HPV infection, including genotype distribution, infection type, and cytological findings. Methods: This cross-sectional study included women aged 21 years and older who underwent cervical sampling between August and November 2025. Participants were classified as non-obese (BMI <30 kg/m2) or obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). HR-HPV genotypes were detected using a multiplex real-time PCR method, and cytological evaluation was performed according to the Bethesda Cervical Cytology Reporting System. Results: Among 518 women, the overall HR-HPV positivity rate was 13.5%. No significant difference in HR-HPV positivity was observed between obese (11.6%) and non-obese (14.2%) women (OR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.44–1.44; p = 0.452). After age adjustment, obesity was not identified as an independent risk factor for HR-HPV infection. BMI was not associated with HPV genotype distribution, infection type, or cytological findings (all p > 0.05). HPV-68 was the most frequently detected genotype. Conclusions: BMI was not independently associated with HR-HPV infection or related clinical and cytological features. These findings suggest that HPV infection is primarily influenced by viral characteristics and host immune response, while BMI appears to play a limited role. Further multicenter prospective studies are needed to clarify the impact of obesity on HPV infection.