Delayed menarche and amenorrhea in ballet dancers

Young female ballet dancers are in a profession where extreme thinness is admired and activity levels are high. The combination of reduced food intake and vigorous activity resulting in a reduced fat/lean ratio is associated with lack of menstrual cycles in these women. In a study of 89 female ballet dancers, while 1/3 of the women reported normal cycles, 15% reported secondary amenorrhea and 30% reported irregular cycles. The mean age at menarche was 13.7 years, or over a year later than the general population.