Distúrbios no ciclo menstrual, estado nutricional e nível de atividade física de adolescentes: um estudo transversal observacional

Abstract

The menstrual cycle is an important indicator of female reproductive health and endocrine functions, and factors such as physical inactivity and BMI may be related to menstrual disorders. This observational, epidemiological study with a cross-sectional design aimed to explore the relationship between menstrual cycle disorders, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity level in 138 adolescents, aged between 14 and 18 years. Two questionnaires were used: one on the menstrual cycle and another on the level of physical activity, in addition to self-reported weight and height values ​​to classify nutritional status according to percentile (BMI x age). The results showed significant associations between insufficiently active adolescents and excessive bleeding (χ² = 4.803; p = 0.028), long menstrual cycle (χ² = 5.053; p = 0.025), and intermenstrual bleeding (χ² = 4.353; p = 0.037). There were no significant associations for other variables analyzed. Regarding nutritional status, adolescents with overweight, obesity and undernutrition showed a greater association with excessive bleeding (χ² = 12.665; p = 0.005). We conclude that there is an association between physical activity level, nutritional status and irregularities in the menstrual cycle.