A Comparative Study of Body Mass Indices and Waist-Hip Ratios of Women in Relation to their Menstrual Status Kaur Harmanpreet1, Kaur Gurpreet2, Kumar Surinder3 1Associate Professor, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 2Ex Senior Research Associate, Department of Human Biology, Punjabi University, Patiala 3Assistant Professor, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara Online published on 15 March, 2019. Abstract The present research investigation was undertaken to study the BMI and Waist-hip ratios in Punjabi women in relation to their menstrual status. The data were collected on 585 women belonging to middle socioeconomic status from Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala districts of Punjab. The women were ranging in age from 35 to 50 years. They were divided in to three groups: Premenopausal (N=216), Peri-menopausal (N=162) and Postmenopausal (N=207). The women who experience regular periods were designated as premenopausal. Whereas women who experience irregular periods at least for three months after the age of forty years were designated as peri-menopausal and those who had not experienced periods for atleast for more than one year were taken as menopausal. Various anthropometric measurements were taken by using standard techniques. The results of the study reveal that peri-menopausal women are significantly heavier, possess greater waist and hip girths than pre and postmenopausal ones. The former possess significantly greater body mass indices and waist hip ratios than the latter. 32.87% premenopausal women show high risk from life style diseases as assessed from their waist hip ratios; 68.52% perimenopausal women and 71.49% postmenopausal women show this risk. The results of the study indicate obesity and high risk of life style diseases during menopause. Top Keywords Premenopausal, postmenopausal and peri-menopausal, girths, body mass indices. Top |