Growth Pattern and Relation with Age at Menarche

Back ground: Body composition assessment helps to growth pattern in adolescent, for body composition measurement research measures weight, height, different kind of circumferences. Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) has been defined as a state of ‘steady’ or body energy stores. A BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 is widely used as a practical measure underweight. Methodology: This study is carried out in outpatient of sub-centre of a rural hospital of Medinipur district; some girls are school dropout and some are regular school goers, Study group girls are 10-19 years old,100 girls in each group, Anthropometry are used to take measurement of height (Anthropometry rod) weight (weighing machine), harpendent to take skinfold measurement. Results: Table 1 represents that mean height, weight, MUAC of study group is 151.02 cm (4.81), 44.56 (5.07), weight (kg) MUAC21.71 cm (2.85). Table 2 represent comparison of anthropometric value of pre-menarcheal and menarcheal girls. The Figures 1-3 represent age wise pre-menarcheal, post-menarcheal, combined status of adolescent girls, whereas the Table 3 represent age wise standard deviation and mean of height, weight and BMI. Results revealed that boys were significantly heavier than girls from age 16 onwards. Conclusion: Girls have poor knowledge on hygiene, they take bath in pond, which causes reproductive health related issues, like white discharge; they have poor concept on menstrual hygiene. To overcome all this they need counselling on their health, nutrition hygiene, how to cure reproductive tract infection.