Body mass index and endometriosis: Is there a relationship?

Abstract

Objective: Previous studies on the relationship between the presence of endometriosis (EM) and body mass index (BMI) have shown inconsistent results. This study aimed to compare the BMI between women with EM and non-endometriotic controls. Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, BMI of 65 endometriotic women with 43 non-endometriotic controls undergoing laparoscopy were compared. The comparison of BMI between the two groups and in disease stages was analyzed using t-test. Results: BMI was significantly lower in women with EM compared to control women ( p = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in BMI between disease stages. Conclusion: The present study results showed that women with EM have lower BMI compared to non-endometriotic controls. More studies are suggested to clarify the mechanisms of this association.

Vitamin D and reproductive disorders: a comprehensive review with a focus on endometriosis

“…Specifically, risk factors for endometriosis include never giving birth, starting period at an early age, going through menopause at an older age, short menstrual cycles, heavy menstrual periods lasting longer than seven days, and higher levels of estrogen [ 142 ]. However, body mass index (BMI) assessment might not an appropriate approach to predict anthropometry instead of fat mass and/or fat-free mass measurement [ 143 ], and as our investigation has attested previously, patients with endometriosis may have lower BMI than healthy controls [ 144 ]. There is a possibility that women who have endometriosis are at an increased risk of developing various chronic illnesses, including cancer [ 145 ], cardiovascular diseases [ 146 ], adenomyosis [ 147 ], and autoimmune diseases [ 148 ].…”