Prevalence of Exercise Related Amenorrhea in Females
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Amenorrhea in physically active women is a significant health concern, often associated with intensive exercise and dietary patterns. Understanding its prevalence and influencing factors is essential for devising effective health interventions and promoting women's health in sports.
Objective: The study aimed to explore the prevalence of amenorrhea among women regularly engaged in sports or gym activities and to identify key factors affecting menstrual health in this demographic.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey, spanning six months, included 71 female athletes aged 13-37 from two fitness centers in Lahore. The research employed non-probability convenient sampling. Data collection was achieved using the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and the Female Athlete Screening Tool (FAST). Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.
Results: The participants' mean age was 28.35 ± 5.02 years, with an average BMI of 27.90 ± 3.6. Among them, 18.3% had a normal BMI, 52.1% were underweight, and 29.6% were obese. LEAF-Q results indicated that 70% of participants experienced moderate menstrual disturbances, while 20% had slight disturbances without a clinical diagnosis of amenorrhea. The overall prevalence of amenorrhea was 1.41%. Influential factors included BMI, education, awareness, and guidance from fitness professionals.
Conclusion: Contrary to initial expectations of a higher prevalence, the study discovered a relatively low occurrence of amenorrhea (1.41%) among active women. This underlines the importance of targeted educational and support interventions in fitness settings to manage menstrual health. Future research should further examine the interplay between exercise, diet, and menstrual health to improve care for female athletes.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Li, H., et al., Menstrual cycle length variation by demographic characteristics from the Apple Women’s Health Study. NPJ Digital Medicine, 2023. 6(1): p. 100.
Rakhimova, M., DISORDER OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, CLASSIFICATION, TREATMENT METHODS. Science and innovation, 2023. 2(D2): p. 31-37.
Laframboise, M.A., C. Borody, and P. Stern, The female athlete triad: a case series and narrative overview. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 2013. 57(4): p. 316.
Murphy, P.G., et al. Performance Related Hemodynamic Responses to Aerobic Exercise Across Different Stages of the Menstrual Cycle. in International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings. 2017.
Kerns, J., K. Itriyeva, and M. Fisher, Etiology and management of amenorrhea in adolescent and young adult women. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 2022. 52(5): p. 101184.
Chung, P.H. and Z. Rosenwaks, Problem-Focused Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. 2023: Springer Nature.
Moen, M.H., et al., The treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome in athletes; a randomized clinical trial. Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation, Therapy & Technology, 2012. 4: p. 1-8.
Spritzer, P. and A. Motta, Adolescence and polycystic ovary syndrome: current concepts on diagnosis and treatment. International journal of clinical practice, 2015. 69(11): p. 12361246.
Raj, R.D., et al., The impact of the menstrual cycle on orthopaedic sports injuries in female athletes. The Bone & Joint Journal, 2023. 105(7): p. 723-728.
Harlow, S.D. and O.M. Campbell, Epidemiology of menstrual disorders in developing countries: a systematic review. 2004.
Dadgostar, H., et al., The relation between athletic sports and prevalence of amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea in Iranian female athletes. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2009. 1: p. 1-7.
Fernandez-del-Valle, M., et al., Screening for Eating Disorders, Dysfunctional Exercise, and Menstrual Dysfunction in Female Athletes, in The Active Female: Health Issues throughout the Lifespan. 2023, Springer. p. 183-210.
Thein-Nissenbaum, J. and E. Hammer, Treatment strategies for the female athlete triad in the adolescent athlete: current perspectives. Open access journal of sports medicine, 2017: p. 85-95.
Taim, B.C., et al., The Prevalence of Menstrual Cycle Disorders and Menstrual Cycle-Related Symptoms in Female Athletes: A Systematic Literature Review. Sports Medicine, 2023: p. 122.
Witkoś, J., G. Błażejewski, and M. Gierach, The Low Energy Availability in Females
Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) as a Useful Tool to Identify Female Triathletes at Risk for Menstrual Disorders Related to Low Energy Availability. Nutrients, 2023. 15(3): p. 650.
Csernica, K.A., Frequency of Body Composition Testing and Presence of Disordered Eating Behavior in Collegiate Female Athletes. 2023, North Dakota State University.
Cisneros, A., D.A. Quesnel, and J.J. Robert-McComb, A Modern Understanding of the Models of Energy Deficits in Athletes, in The Active Female: Health Issues throughout the Lifespan. 2023, Springer. p. 85-93.
Warrick, A.E., et al., Multidisciplinary physician survey assessing knowledge of the female athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport. Journal of Eating Disorders, 2023. 11(1): p. 1-7.
Mitchell, S.G., Female Athlete Triad and Body Compassion in High School Runners. 2023, Spalding University.
Kercher, V.M., et al., 2023 Fitness Trends from Around the Globe. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 2023. 27(1): p. 19-30.