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Everyday eating behavior and menstrual function in young women
U Schweiger1, R J Tuschl, P Platte
1Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Institute, Division of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Munich, Germany.
Objective:
To examine the association of different types of everyday eating behavior with disturbances of menstrual function.
Design:
Prospective cohort study with two groups, low dietary restraint (n = 13) and high dietary restraint (n = 9), identified with the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire by Stunkard and Messick.
Setting:
Research clinic.
Participants:
Normal volunteers (students and young professionals).
Interventions:
None.
Main Outcome Measures:
Frequent serum and urine samples for determination of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), and metabolites. Food and behavioral diaries.
Results:
Eleven of the 13 women with low dietary restraint had menstrual cycles that fulfilled the following standard criteria: Serum E2 maximum of 440 pmol/L or more, P maximum of 19 nmol/L or more, and luteal phase length of 9 days or more. Only 2 of the 9 women with high dietary restraint had cycles that satisfied these criteria. Of the remaining 7, 1 had an anovulatory cycle and 6 had decreased P concentrations (P less than 0.05) and/or a shortened luteal phase (P less than 0.02).
Conclusions:
High cognitive restraint in everyday eating behavior may be a risk factor for the development of menstrual disturbance in young women.