Association Between Dietary Habits and Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Among Early Adult Women in Karachi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a common gynecological concern in early adulthood that can adversely impact quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that dietary habits may influence menstrual health. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HMB among women aged 19–30 years and assess its association with dietary behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, from August 2023 to January 2024. A total of 288 women aged 19–30 years were recruited using non-probability purposive sampling. Data were collected via the validated SAMANTA questionnaire to assess menstrual characteristics and a structured dietary habits questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the association between food habits and HMB using SPSS version 29. Results: The mean age of participants was 22.8 ± 2.8 years. The prevalence of self-reported HMB was 27.1%. Among participants with HMB, 69.5% consumed sugary drinks weekly and 48.2% reported weekly meal skipping. Additionally, 89.9% consumed high-calorie foods weekly. A significant association was observed between HMB and the intake of high-calorie foods (p = 0.015), sugary drinks (p = 0.051), fried foods (p = 0.054), meal skipping (p = 0.032), and limited physical activity (p = 0.013). Conclusion: The study identified a significant association between unhealthy dietary habits and heavy menstrual bleeding in early adult women. These findings highlight the need for nutritional education and behavioral interventions to promote reproductive health during early adulthood.