Body weight changes throughout the menstrual cycle and their effect upon the components of body composition

• Main Author: Query, Lovina M.
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 1984
• Subjects: Body weight; Menstrual cycle; Body composition; Health and Physical Education; Medical Sciences; Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/3332; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4341&context=open_access_etds

Research has shown that women experience fluctuations in body weight (BW) due to water retention and/or other processes at various times in the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study is to measure women repeatedly throughout the course of one menstrual cycle and (1) to confirm whether significant fluctuations in weight occur at various times and (2) to determine whether there are significant differences in the components of body composition by hydrostatic weighing which are related to any changes in BW. It was concluded that while significant fluctuations in BW occur at certain times in the menstrual cycle, the changes are small and do not result in significant differences in the components of body composition by hydrostatic weighing at these same times. Considerable within-subject variability occurs for all parameters, however, and further research into the mechanisms appears warranted.