International Journal of Physiology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Disruption of Menstrual Cyclicity in Underweight Female Medical Students


Affiliations
1 IIIrd Year PG
2 Associate Professor
3 Professor & Head Department of Physiology, Sri Aurobindo Medical College and P G Institute, Indore
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Menstrual cycle is normal physiological phenomenon in females which is also a marker of reproductive functions. It is influenced by number of factors but body fat has observable impact on it. Women with low body mass index (BMI) have irregular and long cycles, infertility problems, and often have a delayed age of menarche. In this context the present study was carried out to evaluate any possible association between body fat and menstrual cycle abnormalities. Study group comprises of 260 healthy female medical students of age 18 to 25yrs. Menstrual history was obtained, its cyclicity was recorded as short (<25days), long (>35days), and normal (26-34 days) cycles. BMI was calculated and subjects were divided into underweight (BMI <18.5) and normal weight (BMI between 18.5 to 24.9). On analysis prevalence of cycle irregularities was more (54%) in underweight girls which is statistically significant (chi square value 53.09, p= <0.0001). A significant (p=<0.001) difference between cycle duration and BMI was observed for longer cycles. However no significant relationship (p=>0.05) was observed for age of menarche (13.58±0.97 vs 13.67 ± 0.87) and BMI. Our finding suggests a significant positive association of menstrual cyclicity with body mass index (BMI). This may attributed to low sex hormones synthesis and storage in the body fat layers of low BMI girls.

Keywords

Body Fat, BMI, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Cycle Irregularities
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Andrew S. Rowland, Donna Day Baird, Stuart Long,Ganesa Wegienka, Siobán D. Harlow, Michael Alavanja,and Dale P. Sandler Influence of Medical Conditions and Lifestyle Factors on the Menstrual Cycle; Epidemiology 2002;13: 668 –674

  • Harlow SD. Menstruation and menstrual disorders: the epidemiology of menstruation and menstrual dysfunction. In: Goldman MB, Hatch MC, eds. Women and Health. San Diego: Academic Press, 2000;99–113.

  • Harlow SD, Matanowski GM. The association between weight, physical activity, and stress and variation in the length of the menstrual cycle. Am J Epidemiol 1991;133:38–49.

  • Bullen BA, Skrinar GS, Beitins IZ, von Mering G, Turnbull BA, McArthur JW. Induction of menstrual disorders by strenuous exercise in untrained women. N Engl J Med 1985;312: 1349–1353.

  • Schweiger U, Laessle R, Pfister H, et al. Dietinduced menstrual irregularities: effects of age and weight loss. Fertil Steril 1987;48: 746–751.

  • Heyward HV, Stolarczyk ML. Applied body composition assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 1996. pp 4-19.

  • McArdle W, Katch FJ, Katch VL. Exercise physiology: energy, nutrition and human performance. Philadelphia, PA: Lea and Fibiger; 1991.

  • Wolf AS, Marx K, Ulrich U. Athletic amenorrhca. Ann N Y Acad. Sci 1997;816:295-304.

  • Hartz AJ, Barboriak PN, Wong A, Katayama KP, Rimm AA. The association of obesity with infertility and related menstrual abnormalities in women. Int J Obes 1979; 3: 57-73.

  • Franks S. Polycystic ovary syndrome. N Engl J Med 1995; 333: 853-861.

  • Clark AM, Thornley B, Tomlinson L, Galletley C, Norman RJ. Weight loss in obese infertile women results in improvement in reproductive outcome for all forms of fertility treatment.

  • WHO expert consultation. Appropriate bodymass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. The Lancet, 2004; 157-163.

  • Symons JP, Sowers M.-F.R., Harlow S.D. Relationship of body composition measures and menstrual cycle length. Annals of Human Biology1997; 24(2):107-116.(WHO????)

  • Stokic E, Srdic B, Barak O. Body mass index, body fat mass and the occurrence of amenorrhea in ballet dancers. Gynaecology and Endocrinology 2005;20(4):195

  • Skolnick A. ‘Female athlete triad’ risk for women. J Am Med Assoc 1993;270:921-3.

  • Van Marken Lichtenbelt WD, Fogelholm M, Ottenheijm R, Westerterp KR. Physical activity, body composition and bone density in ballet dancers. Br J Nutr 1995;74:439-51.

  • Broso R Subrizi R. Gynecologic problems in female athletes. Minerva Ginecol 1996;48:99-106.

  • Sinha R, Kapoor AK, and Kapoor S. Adiposity measures and menstrual cycle:Do we envisage a relation? Journal of Anthropology2011;2011:1-5.

  • Warren IP, Ramos RH, Bronson E. Exerciseassociated amenorrhea. Physician Sportsmed 2002;30:10.

  • Thong FS, Graham TE. Leptin and reproduction: is it a critical link between adipose tissue, nutrition and reproduction? Can J Appl Physiol 1999;24:317-36.


Abstract Views: 587

PDF Views: 0




  • Disruption of Menstrual Cyclicity in Underweight Female Medical Students

Abstract Views: 587  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Poonam Sharma Gaur
IIIrd Year PG
Nazeem I Siddiqui
Associate Professor
S Bose
Professor & Head Department of Physiology, Sri Aurobindo Medical College and P G Institute, Indore

Abstract


Menstrual cycle is normal physiological phenomenon in females which is also a marker of reproductive functions. It is influenced by number of factors but body fat has observable impact on it. Women with low body mass index (BMI) have irregular and long cycles, infertility problems, and often have a delayed age of menarche. In this context the present study was carried out to evaluate any possible association between body fat and menstrual cycle abnormalities. Study group comprises of 260 healthy female medical students of age 18 to 25yrs. Menstrual history was obtained, its cyclicity was recorded as short (<25days), long (>35days), and normal (26-34 days) cycles. BMI was calculated and subjects were divided into underweight (BMI <18.5) and normal weight (BMI between 18.5 to 24.9). On analysis prevalence of cycle irregularities was more (54%) in underweight girls which is statistically significant (chi square value 53.09, p= <0.0001). A significant (p=<0.001) difference between cycle duration and BMI was observed for longer cycles. However no significant relationship (p=>0.05) was observed for age of menarche (13.58±0.97 vs 13.67 ± 0.87) and BMI. Our finding suggests a significant positive association of menstrual cyclicity with body mass index (BMI). This may attributed to low sex hormones synthesis and storage in the body fat layers of low BMI girls.

Keywords


Body Fat, BMI, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Cycle Irregularities

References