Dietary Intake of Specific Vitamins and Minerals on the Prevalence of Primary Dysmenorrhea Among Adolescent Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Primary dysmenorrhea is described as uterine cramping and painful menstruation with no underlying condition of the pelvis, and it is among the most prevalent gynecological problems seen in the reproductive years among adolescents and young women. Intake of fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants appears to help alleviate menstrual pain, as shown by recent studies. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the dietary intake of vitamins and minerals and assess the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea.Methods: The study was conducted on adolescent schoolgirls. For assessing their dietary intake, a 3-day food recall questionnaire was used, which included one weekend day and two weekdays. Menstrual pain intensity was measured using a visual analog scale. The relationship between the intake of vitamins and minerals and the occurrence of primary dysmenorrhea was analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of dietary habits with the risk of primary dysmenorrhea. A significance level of 0.05 was used for all tests.Results: A strong negative correlation was observed in the occurrence of primary dysmenorrhea with respect to the intake of vitamins and minerals. The negative correlation was stronger for calcium as compared to vitamin E, vitamin C, and zinc. Therefore, it can be considered that adolescent girls who intake lesser vitamins and minerals than their recommended levels are at risk of primary dysmenorrhea.Conclusion: Intake of adequate fruits and vegetables to meet the levels of vitamins and minerals could be considered to reduce the risk of primary dysmenorrhea.