--- title: What affects menstrual patterns in teenage girls? | Niyora description: Exercise and body fat did not affect menstrual regularity or pain. However, girls living at boarding school (away from home) were more likely to develop irreg url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-relationships-of-calculated-percent-body-fat-sports-participation-age-and-1984/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What affects menstrual patterns in teenage girls? Cohort study, 1984 # What affects menstrual patterns in teenage girls? Exercise and body fat did not affect menstrual regularity or pain. However, girls living at boarding school (away from home) were more likely to develop irregular cycles than girls living at home. Early or limited evidence 87 teenage girls (average age 15.5) at a New England high school who completed follow-up surveys ## What they did Researchers surveyed 327 teenage girls about their periods, exercise, and where they lived. They calculated body fat from measurements. 87 girls completed follow-up questionnaires 8 to 15 months later. ## What they found 93% of girls had normal menstrual flow lasting 4 to 7 days. 59.7% experienced period pain, and 63% experienced premenstrual symptoms. Body fat and exercise hours showed no correlation with menstrual problems. All girls whose cycles changed from regular to irregular were boarding students. ## What it means for you Stress from separation from home may be more important than exercise or weight for menstrual regularity. The study was small and from one school, so results may not apply to other groups of teenagers. 87 girls followed up 93% with normal menstrual flow 63% with premenstrual symptoms ## About the study Original title The relationships of calculated percent body fat, sports participation, age, and place of residence on menstrual patterns in healthy adolescent girls at an independent New England high school Authors Wilson C, Emans SJ, Mansfield J et al. Journal Journal of adolescent health care : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine Year 1984 Study design Cohort study Participants 87 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0197-0070(84)80126-6](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-0070(84)80126-6) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2016 Does PMS increase the risk of stress fractures in teenage athletes? Survey study, 2021 Does physical activity or age at first period affect how much PMS a teenage girl experiences? Cohort study, 2019 How do exercise, diet and weight affect menstrual problems? Survey study, 2019 What lifestyle and sleep habits are linked to PMS in teenage girls? Survey study, 2025 How common is PMS in high school girls, and which non-drug methods help reduce anxiety and stress? Survey study, 2024 How does period pain affect students' academic performance? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗