title: Effect of Different Phases of Menstrual Cycle on Cardio-respiratory Efficiency in Normal, Overweight and Obese Female Undergraduate Students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influence of obesity on cardio-respiratory efficiency in the various phases of menstrual cycle is not well understood until now. As majority of Indian women have a favourable attitude towards participation in sports it is significant to understand the variation in exercise performance during different phases of menstrual cycle to have an optimum performance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the endurance capacity and cardio-respiratory responses in normal, obese and overweight female undergraduate students during different phases of menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty normal weight, 20 obese and 20 over weight, unmarried, undergraduate female volunteers between the age group of 18-22 years, were recruited by convenient sampling. Cardio-respiratory efficiency was assessed by cardiac efficiency test, respiratory endurance test and respiratory blast test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, exercise efficiency varied significantly during the different phases of the menstrual cycle with the highest during luteal phase and lowest during menstrual phase. Similar trend was observed in all the three weight sub-categories, but it was statistically significant in the normal and overweight category only. There was no significant difference in blast test during menstrual phase, follicular phase and luteal phase of menstrual cycle among three groups of individuals. Overall the obese and overweight females had a decreased value for blast test compared to the normal individuals. Significant difference was observed in endurance test among follicular and luteal phase of normal females but there is no change in overweight and obese. Significant difference was observed in Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) among luteal phase in normal and overweight individuals but there is no change in obese females. Overall obese individuals have a significant low PEFR compared to normal and overweight individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant increase in cardiac and respiratory efficiency was observed in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in normal weight where as in overweight and obese females, there is an overall decrease in fitness capacity with increase in the Body Mass Index (BMI). Therefore, practice of regular exercise and intake of healthy diet which help in reducing the weight and in turn the BMI will help in enhancing the physical fitness of the individuals.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Physiology, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha University , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Nazrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samsudeen
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Physiology, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha University , Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan
keywords: Body size; Cyclical variation; Female college students; Thinness