Do body mass index and fat volume influence vocal quality, phonatory range, and aerodynamics in females?

O índice de massa corporal e o volume de gordura influenciam a qualidade vocal, extensão fonatória e aerodinâmica em mulheres?

Abstracts

PURPOSE: To analyze the impact of body weight and body fat volume on selected parameters of vocal quality, phonatory range, and aerodynamics in females. METHODS: Based on measurements of body mass index in combination with body fat volume, 29 normophonic female subjects were classified as normal weight, underweight, and obese. Voice quality was investigated via auditory-perceptual ratings of breathiness, roughness, and overall dysphonia severity, via various acoustic measures and a multiparametric index. Phonatory range performance was examined using selected measures of the voice range profile and speech range profile. Measures of vocally relevant aerodynamics included vital capacity (i.e., VC), expected VC, phonation quotient, and maximum phonation time (i.e., MPT). RESULTS: Significant differences between the three weight groups were found across several measures of intensity, VC, MPT, and shimmer. As compared to the other groups, significantly higher values of maximum and minimum intensity levels, as well as sound pressure level during habitual running speech were observed for the obese group (all p-values<0.05); whereas, the underweight group had significantly lower values for VC and ratio of expected to measured VC (p-values<0.01). Furthermore, underweight subjects differed significantly as compared to normal weight subjects with lower MPT (p=0.025) and higher lowest-F0 (p=0.035). Finally the obese group showed significantly lower shimmer values than the normal weight subjects (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Body weight and body fat volume appear to influence select objective measures of voice quality, vocal aerodynamics, and phonatory range performance.

Body mass index; Adipose tissue; Voice quality; Larynx; Air Analysis

OBJETIVO: Analisar o impacto do peso corporal e do volume de gordura corporal sobre parâmetros selecionados de qualidade vocal, tessitura fonatória e aerodinâmica em indivíduos do sexo feminino. MÉTODOS: Com base em medidas de índice de massa corporal e volume de gordura corporal, 29 indivíduos do sexo feminino, de aparelhos fônicos normais, foram distribuídos em grupos de peso normal, abaixo da média e obesos. A qualidade vocal foi investigada por meio de classificações auditório-perceptivas de soprosidade, rugosidade e severidade de disfonia por meio de várias medidas acústicas e índice multiparamétrico. O desempenho da tessitura fonatória foi examinado por meio do uso de medidas selecionadas do perfil de extensão vocal e perfil de extensão discursiva. As medidas de aerodinâmica vocalmente relevantes incluíram capacidade vital (CV), CV esperada, coeficiente fonatório e tempo de fonação máximo (TFM). RESULTADOS: Diferenças significativas entre os três grupos foram encontradas em relação a várias medidas de intensidade, CV, TFM e shimmer. Em comparação com os outros grupos, valores significativamente maiores de níveis de intensidade máxima e mínima e nível de pressão sonora durante discurso habitual foram observados no grupo obeso (todos os valores de p<0,05); já o grupo abaixo do peso apresentou valores significativamente menores para CV e para a proporção de CV esperada em relação à CV medida (valores de p<0,01). Além disso, indivíduos abaixo do peso diferiram significativamente quando comparados a indivíduos de peso normal com TFM menor (p=0,025) e F0 menor mais elevada (p=0,035). Por fim, o grupo obeso apresentou valores de shimmer significativamente menores do que os indivíduos com peso normal (p<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: O peso corporal e o volume de gordura corporal parecem influenciar certas medidas objetivas de qualidade vocal, aerodinâmica vocal e desempenho de tessitura fonatória.

Índice de massa corporal; Tecido adiposo; Qualidade da voz; Laringe; Análise do Ar

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  25 Sept 2013
• Date of issue
  2013

History

• Received
  20 Feb 2013
• Accepted
  02 Aug 2013