To determine the prevalence of menstrual dysfunction (MD; ie,
oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea) and attitudes toward body weight among
athletes and non‐athletes, we studied a cohort of athletes and
non‐athletes, in adolescence (14‐16 years) and subsequently in young
adulthood (18‐20 years). We further studied the differences between
athletes reporting MD and eumenorrheic athletes at both time periods and
identified physical and behavioral characteristics that might predict
MD in young adulthood. Data were collected using questionnaires,
accelerometers, and a pre‐participation screening. In adolescence, the
athletes reported current primary amenorrhea more often than the
non‐athletes (4.7% vs 0%, P = .03). In young adulthood, athletes reported MD more frequently than non‐athletes (38.7% vs 5.6%, P < .001).
Athletes had less desire than non‐athletes to lose weight at both time
points, and in adolescence, athletes were more satisfied with their
weight. However, about one fifth of the athletes and about 40% of the
non‐athletes experienced body weight dissatisfaction at both time
points. In adolescence, athletes reporting MD had lower BMI than
eumenorrheic athletes. In young adulthood, athletes with MD were more
physically active than eumenorrheic athletes. The only longitudinal
predictor of MD in young adulthood was MD in adolescence. Our findings
indicate that MD is relatively frequent among young Finnish athletes.
However, athletes appear to have a smaller tendency to experience body
weight dissatisfaction than their non‐athletic peers. MD seems to track
from adolescence to adulthood, suggesting that there is a need to focus
on possible causes at the earliest feasible phase of an athlete's
career.