Association between body composition and menarcheal status: a study among the institutionalized adolescent girls of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India

Background Menarche is a crucial stage among adolescent girls, and body composition differs significantly between pre-menarcheal and post-menarcheal females, with variations among different ethnic groups in India. The present study is an endeavor to assess the nutritional status of adolescent girls, compare the anthropometric and body composition measures between pre-menarcheal and post-menarcheal girls, and ascertain the impact of body composition on the attainment of menarche among the institutionalized adolescent girls of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Method A total of 116 adolescent girls aged 11–16 years were purposively recruited from an institutional home named “Save the Children”, located in Thakurpukur, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Data on age, menstrual status, and age at menarche were obtained via a self-administered pre-structured schedule. Anthropometric measurements were obtained following standard protocol, and indices were calculated accordingly. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, T-test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and binary logistic regression were performed using IBM SPSS version 26. Results The median age at menarche was found to be 12.0 years. The majority of the variables related to overall, central adiposity, and bone mass significantly differ between the pre-menarcheal and post-menarcheal girls. The upper limb, upper trunk, and lower trunk subcutaneous fat deposition, total body fat, body mass, bone mass, and fat-free mass significantly influence the attainment of menarche. Conclusion The present study has potential implications for understanding the involvement of regional adipose tissues in menarche, emphasizing the health of future mothers and the development of chronic illnesses in maturity.