Figure 3. The proportion of body fat is an important determinant of menstrual function.
A. Percent body fat in girls with anorexia nervosa (AN) who did or did not resume menses: Girls with AN who recovered menstrual function over a year of follow-up had greater percent body fat at the end of the follow-up period than those who did not. All girls with body fat greater than 24% resumed menses, whereas none of those with body fat less than 18% had menstrual recovery. From Misra et al. Pediatr Res 59: 598–603; 2006. Copyright © by International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc., 2006.
B. Percent body fat in low weight adult women who were amenorrheic (mean BMI 16.8±0.2 kg/m2) vs. those who were eumenorrheic (mean BMI 17.1±0.2 kg/m2). Despite similarly low BMI status, eumenorrheic women had greater percent body fat than amenorrheic women. Adapted from Miller et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89: 4434–38; 2004. Copyright © by The Endocrine Society 2004.