Nora O Alafif*

Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding Author: Nora O Alafif, Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Received: January 08, 2025; Published: January 28, 2025

Abstract

Background: Menstrual disorders are considered to be the most prevalent health issues among young reproductive aged university students. Obesity is one of the factors affecting the younger women during their menstruation. Apart from it, obesity is a common factor in the Saudi population. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between obesity/body mass index (BMI) nutritional patterns and menstrual disorders in Saudi female students.

Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud University, focusing on the elevated BMI values and eating patterns on menstrual cycle disorders among the female Saudi students. This study included a total of 220 bachelor students, aged 18 to 25, who were Saudi nationals, not using contraceptives, and free from chronic diseases. Data was collected through an online self- administered questionnaire, which consisted of demographic information, eating behaviors, and menstrual cycle disorder data. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software, and descriptive statistics were employed to accurately interpret and present the findings.

Results: This study confirms a correlation between BMI and menstrual disorders, specifically the amount of bleeding during the menstrual cycle. Additionally, dietary patterns were found to be related to these disorders. Notably, protein, vegetables, fruits, and regular water consumption were significantly correlated with menstrual disorders. Conversely, the consumption of fast food was associated with the regularity of the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, a relationship was observed between the psychological state and menstrual disorders, including symptoms such as diarrhea/constipation and nausea/vomiting.

Conclusion: This research emphasizes the significant impact of nutritional patterns on menstrual disorders, with BMI playing a crucial role in determining the amount of bleeding during menstruation. These findings highlight the importance of conducting further investigations and developing intervention strategies to enhance our understanding and management of menstrual disorders.

Keywords: Body Mass Index (BMI); Menstrual Disorders; Disorders of Menstruation; Diet; Nutrition Habit; Nutritional Patterns; Obesity; Stress

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Citation

Citation: Nora O Alafif. “Interlinked Association Between Body Mass Index, Nutritional Patterns and Menstrual Disorders in Female Students of King Saud University".Acta Scientific Women's Health 7.2 (2025): 20-30.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Nora O Alafif. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.