ABSTRACT

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Gauri Raghunath Shinde,
C/o. Dr. Raghunath Shinde,
C/s. No. 1549, Opp. Swimming Tank,
Ganesh Nagar, Sangli-416416,
Maharashtra.
E-mail: drgauri8@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Purpose of this study is to overview adolescent menstrual problems and its relation to BMI, eating habits and physical activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Present study carried out in Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department, KIMSDU, Karad. In this study, 624 adolescent age group girls 11 to 19 yrs. who visited outpatient department were studied from Jan. 2013 to Dec. 2015. All these girls were asked for detailed history regarding age of menarche, menstrual pattern, any associated menstrual problems like dysmenorrhoea, pre-menstrual symptoms, history of passage of clots, menstrual irregularities. BMI of all these girls were calculated and categorised in to normal (18.5-24.99 kg/m²), underweight (14-18.49 kg/m²), and overweight & obese (>25 kg/m²). All these girls were asked regarding their diet habits. Frequency of eating junk food (categorised into <3 days per week and > 3 days per week). After all these detailed history collections, each girl underwent detailed general, per abdominal and local examination. All these girls underwent pelvic ultrasound to rule out major pelvic organic pathology. All these girls were further studied for the relation of dietary habits, BMI with the menstrual disorders. The girls diagnosed with menorrhagia were treated with Tab. Sylate 1 g tds for 5 days, haematinics or blood transfusion according to haemogram reports. Occasionally, few girls out of these required admission for acute events of menorrhagia & treated accordingly. Statistical analysis was done to know the % of menstrual problems in these girls and these results were compared with different study results.

RESULTS

In present study, 14.42% girls were obese/overweight, 16.34% were underweight. 32.85% girls were with habit of eating junk food >3 days a week. 57.69% girls giving history of physical activity <3 days a week. Dysmenorrhoea (66.34%) was a commonest problem. Incidence of irregular cycles was 30.76%, menorrhagia was 16.98%, PMS was 48.71%, abnormal duration of cycle in 14.42% and 16.34% girls were diagnosed as PCOD on USG. Overweight/obese and underweight girls had majority of menstrual problems (Dysmenorrhoea 76.66% vs. 40.19%, irregular cycles 16.66% vs. 21.56%, menorrhagia 16.66% vs. 21.56%, PMS 41.11% vs. 53.92%, abnormal duration of menses 13.33% vs. 14.70%, PCOD 75.55% vs. 9.8%). Maximum girls with dieting habits, less physical activity and habits of eating junk food were having multiple menstrual problems.

CONCLUSION

Changing lifestyle has increased incidences of bulimia nervosa, obesity, sedentary life style. All these things have an effect on developing adolescent girl. This is a vicious cycle of overeating/malnutrition adding to abnormal BMI which has an effect on physical activity of these girls which leads to menstrual problems. To overcome these problems in adolescent girls, awareness regarding physical activity, healthy eating habits, personal hygiene, counselling regarding diet to avoid increasing slim/plum body trends in adolescents should be done.

KEYWORDS

Adolescent Girl, Menstrual Problems, Adolescent Menstrual Problems.

BACKGROUND

Adolescence, the period between childhood and adulthood, is usually defined by the rapid onset of biological growth and development before or end of 2^nd decade of life.¹There are many factors which influence adolescent growth such as

Present study observations were nearly correlating to Saira Dars et al⁵, Rupa Vani etal⁷, and Rama Ravi et al⁸ Difference in observations in present study and Nag et al³, George et al³, Anil Agarwal et al⁴, Franco Rigon et al⁸ may be because of difference in socioeconomic status of population included in study and number of girls involved in study.

There was difference in number of study population in present study and above-mentioned studies. In spite of these differences; population with the normal, underweight, overweight BMI nearly correlated with Saira Dars et al⁵ and with Rupa Vani et al⁷ study.

Observations in association of BMI, Dieting habits, eating Junk food, physical exercise to Adolescent menstrual problems in present study and study by Rupa Vani et al⁷ were nearly correlating. This suggests that changing lifestyle, eating habits, frequency of physical activity & BMI have an effect on adolescent menstrual cycles.

In present study, incidence of diagnosed PCOD on USG was high in overweight & obese BMI girls (75.75%). 19.82% of girls without dieting history were diagnosed as PCOD on USG. 29.26% girls eating junk food >3 days a week, diagnosed as PCOD on USG. 19.16% of girls who were doing physical activity <3 days a week were diagnosed as PCOD on USG. All these girls diagnosed as PCOD were having combination of menstrual problems.

CONCLUSION

Present study is an overview of adolescent menstrual problems and its relation to BMI, eating habits, physical activity. Menstrual problems are common in adolescent girls because of premature HPO Axis physiologically. But changing lifestyle has increased incidences of bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, obesity, sedentary life style. All these things have an effect on developing adolescent girl. This is a vicious cycle of over eating/malnutrition adding do abnormal BMI which has an effect on physical activity of these girls which leads to menstrual problems. To overcome these problems in adolescent girls, awareness regarding physical activity, healthy eating habits, personal hygiene and counselling regarding diet to avoid increasing slim/plum body trends in adolescent should be done.