Prevalence of Menstrual Disorders and Their Association with Body Mass Index in Adolescent Nursing Students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Background
Menstrual disorders are common among adolescents and may affect physical, psychological, and academic well-being. Body mass index (BMI) may influence menstrual patterns, but evidence remains inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of menstrual disorders and their association with BMI among adolescent nursing students in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2020 among 230 first- and second-year PCL nursing students from four CTEVT-affiliated campuses in Kathmandu. Cluster sampling was used. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and menstrual disorders were assessed based on self-reported history using predefined operational definitions. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI using WHO Asian criteria. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23 using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi-square test; p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
The mean age of participants was 17.06 ± 1.15 years, and the mean age at menarche was 12.84 ± 1.25 years. Most students (76.5%) had regular cycles. Dysmenorrhea was most common (76.1%), followed by menorrhagia (31.3%), irregular menstruation (23.5%), oligomenorrhea (21.3%), and metrorrhagia (13.5%). Common premenstrual symptoms were anger/irritability (62.2%) and difficulty sleeping (52.2%). Most participants had normal BMI (67.4%), while 21.7% were underweight and 10.9% overweight. No significant association was observed between BMI and menstrual interval, dysmenorrhea, pain severity, metrorrhagia, or oligomenorrhea (p > 0.05).
Conclusions
Menstrual disorders, particularly dysmenorrhea, were highly prevalent. However, BMI was not significantly associated with menstrual characteristics. These findings highlight the need for menstrual health education and awareness programs in educational institutions.