Journal of Education and Health Promotion (Jan 2019)

The relationship between the duration of menstrual bleeding and obesity-related anthropometric indices in students

  • Mahboobeh Kafaei-Atrian,
  • Zahra Mohebbi-Dehnavi,
  • Leila Sayadi,
  • Mohammad Asghari-Jafarabadi,
  • Zahra Karimian-Taheri,
  • Mohammad Afshar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_24_18
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 81 – 81

Abstract

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BACKGROUND: Many women of childbearing age suffer from problems such as dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to determine the relationship between the duration of menstrual bleeding and obesity-related anthropometric indices in students. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 250 students in 2016. Data were collected by a questionnaire composed of: 1) demographic information, 2) information concerning menstrual cycle and 3) obesity-related anthropometric parameters. Anthropometric parameters include height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and arm circumference. Independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regressions with backward strategy were used. RESULTS: The average age of students was 21/295 (±1/585) years. For most participants, the duration of menstrual bleeding was 3–7 days (87/2%, 218 people). None of the participants had menstrual bleeding 7 days for 32 participants (12/800%). A significant relationship was observed between the intervals of menstruation and the waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0/136, P < 0/041). Based on multiple linear regression, hip circumference and waist-to-weight, hip-to-waist, arm-to-weight, hip-to-thigh, and arm-to-height ratios are predictors for menstrual duration. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a significant association was found between the anthropometric indices and menstrual characteristics. These findings suggest the need for modifying anthropometric indicators to control menstrual cycle problems.

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