A comparative study of the effects of obesity on the menarche of rural and urban schoolgirls in paschim medinipur, West Bengal

Menarche is called the first menstrual bleeding. In this period, an adolescent girl signifies the transition from girlhood to womanhood, and various physiological, social, and mental changes occur in this age group. This study was conducted to find out the effect of menarche on obesity among the rural and urban schoolgirls in Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal. This study was conducted on 160 school girls having an age range of 10-14 years in rural and urban areas of Paschim Medinipur. A questionnaire and anthropometric measurements are followed for data collection. Girls with high class BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and MUAC are more likely to attain early menarche. It is important to control the occurrence of obesity, particularly central obesity. There was a significant correlation of body growth with the age at menarche, indicating early onset of menarche in obese girls as compared to lean ones. The findings of this study provide a reference for the age at menarche to determine trends and also emphasise the need for the development of strategies to reduce and prevent excessive weight gain in our paediatric population, with special attention being paid to the eating and living style habits of our children.