Age at menarche and risk of hypertension in Chinese adult women: Results from a large representative nationwide population

Abstract

This study explored the association between age at menarche and the risk of hypertension in Chinese women. A total of 234 867 women aged ≥18 years from the China Hypertension Survey were included in this study. Participants were required to complete a standard questionnaire. Blood pressure and physical examination of the participants were performed by trained medical staff. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between age at menarche and other individual characteristics. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios for hypertension by age in years at menarche. The average age at menarche in Chinese women was 14.8 years. Women who were older at menarche were more likely to have a higher body mass index, larger waist circumference, smoke, and have a primary education (p < .05). After adjustments, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for hypertension across age at menarche groups were 0.912 (0.877–0.948), 0.927 (0.893–0.963), 1.00 (reference), 1.061 (1.020–1.102), and 1.129 (1.090–1.169) for those aged ≤13, 14, 15 (reference), 16, and ≥17 years at menarche, respectively. Each 1‐year delay in menarche was associated with a 6.2% increase in the prevalence of hypertension (odds ratio, 1.062; 95% confidence interval, 1.053–1.071). The positive association between age at menarche and hypertension was evident among age at recruitment groups, BMI categories, and education levels. This association was stronger in urban women and postmenopausal women. Our findings suggest that late menarche is related to a higher risk of hypertension among Chinese adult women, and this association appeared similar among different subgroups.

Separate and combined effects of famine exposure and menarche age on hypertension among the middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a population-based cross-sectional study

“…We speculate that famine can lead to malnutrition, and also delay the menarche age in adolescence. The production of estrogen as a protective hormone is bound to decrease, as a protective hormone stimulates increased ovarian hormone levels against hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, people with late menarche age are more likely to be lower levels of estrogen and higher risk of hypertension [41,43,47,76]. The mechanism that the adults exposed to famine also had the highest risk of hypertension among all the groups still need further study in the future, this will be our next research plan.…”

“…This can be explained that girls who mature early tend to be overweight, and continue to be obese throughout adulthood, so obesity plays a part mediating role in age of menarche and hypertension [50]. Besides, the rate of growth during puberty affects how much blood pressure rises, and this effect still persists in adulthood [49,73,74], early progesterone exposure contributes to high blood pressure [41].…”

“…Menarche is a sign of female maturity. Menarche age is usually in uenced by many factors, such as inheritance, socioeconomic status, the population of race, nutritional status and metabolic level [39][40][41]. However, Menarche age is related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) [42,43].…”

“…There is still controversy over the association between menarche age and hypertension at present. Although some studies held the point that the earlier menarche was associated with a decreased risk of hypertension [41,45]. While others hold the opposite points [48].…”

“…Chen et al considered the rate of hypertension increased by 6.2% for each additional year of menarche age through 234867 samples study[41]. Liu et al found that late menarche was positively correlated with hypertension among the females of south China (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.21, 1.55)[47].…”