Abstract des Autors

During 6 months 12 ballet dancers and 19 music students (controls) kept a menstrual diary. Nutritional habits and adipose tissue were recorded. In a second study a questionnaire on menstrual pattern, body weight and potentially confounding factors was mailed to all female students at the participating schools. In the prospective study the average menstrual cycle of the ballet dancers was about ten days longer than that of the controls (p=0.01). This difference decreased during summer vacation, when the activity level was much lower. In the survey only a slight tendency was found towards a difference in cycle length between the two groups. The amount of adipose tissue did not affect menstrual cycle length. It is concluded that the menstrual function of professional ballet dancers is not mediated by adipose tissue, but is probably directly related to the high training level. Verf.-Referat