By: ANTARA BOSE, ARGINA KHATUN
The onset of an adolescent’s period is accompanied by physiological, emotional, and behavioral changes that signal the beginning of menarche in females. Menarche is a significant developmental milestone. This study examines the relationship between menstrual onset and height, weight, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), thigh circumference (TC), body mass index (BMI), and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). The study included 288 adolescent females, with 42% aged 10 to 12, 53.5% aged 13 to 15, and 4.5% aged 16 to 18. The participants’ menarcheal status was classified as not begun (15.3%), early onset (65.6%), and late onset (19.1%). Girls who reached menarche at a later age had higher mean height, weight, BMI, MUAC, WC, HC, and TC. There was also a significant difference between non-menstruating females and those who began menstruating at a younger age. All anthropometric factors showed a positive association with age at menarche. Although overweight and obesity were not observed in this study, a tendency toward overweight can contribute to various disorders. Therefore, early intervention should be implemented to help adolescent females maintain a typical age at menarche, thereby promoting healthy behaviors and lifestyles.
