The Relationships Between Primary Dysmenorrhea with Body Mass Index and Nutritional Habits in Young Women

Background: The menstrual cycle is a physiological process. However, many young and adult women can experience various physical and psychological complaints during their menstrual cycle. The most common and major gynecological complaint among women of reproductive age regarding their menstrual cycle is dysmenorrhea.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between primary dysmenorrhea with body mass index and nutritional habits in young women.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. This study was conducted at a university between May and December 2019. This study was carried out on 307 young women. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire, the visual analog scale, the dietary pattern index, and body mass index.

Results: The mean age of young women with primary dysmenorrhea was 20.84 ± 2.06 years. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 55.7%. The mean severity of menstrual pain was 7.16 ± 1.95. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was significantly correlated with age, age at menarche, body mass index, and dietary pattern index. It was determined that the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 1.18 times higher among young women in the much elevated and elevated group according to the dietary pattern index compared to young women in the low- and moderate-risk groups. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was also 1.06 times higher among young women who were overweight/obese according to body mass index compared to those who were underweight and normal.

Conclusion: Moderate positive correlations were detected between menstrual pain severity, body mass index, and dietary pattern index in young women with primary dysmenorrhea. Nurses must be sensitive to primary dysmenorrhea and address it by organizing education/counseling activities (symposiums).