Frequency of diastasis rectus abdominis and its association with obesity in post-menopausal women: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of diastasis rectus abdominis and its association with obesity in post-menopausal women.

Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the gynaecology outpatient department of Dr Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital and the Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Karachi, from December 2021 to May 2022, and comprised post-menopausal women. The body mass index, waist circumference and inter-rectus distance were recorded for general obesity, central obesity and diastasis rectus abdominis, respectively. The association of baseline characteristics with the presence of interrectus distance was explored. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.

Results: Of the 100 women with mean age 52.3±5.4 years, diastasis rectus abdominis was found in 20(%). Umbilical, supraumbilical and infraumbilical values were significantly different between the patients and the healthy women (p<0.05). Diastasis rectus abdominis had non-significant associations with baseline characteristics, physical and maternal parameters, and obesity (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Umbilical diastasis rectus abdominis was frequently found among post-menopausal women, but had no significant association with obesity.

Key Words: Abdomen rectus muscle, Post-menopausal period, Central obesity, Women health, Abdominal obesity.