Relation of Age at Menarche to Race, Time Period, and Anthropometric Dimensions: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. To assess secular trends in menarcheal age between 1973 and 1994 and to determine whether childhood levels of height, weight, and skinfold thicknesses can account for racial (white/black) differences in menarcheal age.Methods. Data from 7 cross-sectional examinations of school-aged children, with menarcheal age obtained through interviews, were used for both cross-sectional (11 218 observations) and longitudinal (n ‫؍‬ 2058) analyses. In the latter analyses, the baseline examination was performed between ages 5.0 and 9.9 years, and the mean follow-up was 6 years.Results. Black girls experienced menarche, on average, 3 months earlier than did white girls (12.3 vs 12.6 years), and during the 20-year study period, the median menarcheal age decreased by approximately 9.5 months among black girls versus approximately 2 months among white girls. As compared with 5-to 9-year-old white girls, black girls were taller and weighed more, characteristics that were predictive of a relatively early (before age 11.0 years) menarche. However, even after adjustment for weight, height, and other characteristics, the rate of early menarche remained 1.4-fold higher among black girls than among white girls.Conclusions. Additional study of the determinants of menarcheal age is needed, as the timing of pubertal maturation may influence the risk of various diseases in adulthood. Pediatrics 2002;110(4). URL: http://www. pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/110/4/e43; menarche, obesity, blacks, height, secular trend.ABBREVIATIONS. BMI, body mass index; RR, rate ratio. B lack girls in the United States undergo sexual development at younger ages than do white girls. [1][2][3][4][5] In a study of 17 000 girls, for example, mean menarcheal ages were 12.2 years (blacks) and 12.9 years (whites), 4 a racial difference consistent with those that have been observed in the development of breast and pubic hair. 2,3 The timing of these events may influence the risk of various diseases in adulthood, and an early menarche has been associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, 6 obesity, 7-9 and spontaneous abortion. 10 The reasons for these racial differences in menarcheal age are uncertain, but several characteristics, such as obesity, 11-14 height, 3,8,13-15 and skeletal maturation, 16 -18 are known to influence sexual development. Furthermore, the dramatic decrease in menarcheal age between the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s 19 may be related to the changes in childhood heights and weights that occurred during this period as a result of improved nutritional status. As compared with similarly aged white girls, black girls are more advanced skeletally (after age 9 years), 20 are taller, 3,21 and are heavier. 3 It is uncertain, however, whether these characteristics account for the earlier sexual development of black girls in the United States.The objectives of the current study were to examine changes in the menarcheal ages of girls between 1973 and 1994 and to determine whether differences between black and white girls are attri...

Pubertal development in obese children and adolescents

“…1 This secular trend has continued over the past decades. Recently published studies report evidence for a continuous decrease in age at menarche in different study populations in the United States from the late 1960s to early 1990s 2,3 and ascertain an overall earlier development of secondary sexual characteristics in girls than current normative data. 4 Simultaneously, the prevalence of obesity in childhood and adolescence has increased dramatically worldwide.…”

“…[5][6][7][8][9] The established observation that overweight girls tend to mature earlier 10 and the historically evolving hypothesis of a critical degree of body fatness for the onset of menses, 11,12 suggests linkage between these phenomena. In fact, large cross-sectional studies in some populations show significant correlations between obesity in girls, earlier development of pubic hair, higher Tanner breast stages, 13 and earlier age at menarche, 2,14 respectively.…”

Nutritional Status and Menarcheal Age of Rural Adolescent Girls of Salboni Block of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India

“…It is well recognised that this biological event is the outcome of a number of biological and social factors and mean menarcheal approach age appears to be particularly sensitive indicator of biosocial status of population [15]. High subcutaneous fat levels and a higher BMI at a pre-pubertal age (5-9) years are associated with an increased likelihood of early menarche (>11 years) [16]. At present it is observed that age wise mean value of anthropometric measures are increasing which shows growth spurt in adolescence period.…”

Impact of the menstrual cycle on determinants of energy balance: a putative role in weight loss attempts

“…Height, weight and skinfold thickness all appear to play a role. 15 Race and socioeconomic status have also been suggested to influence menarcheal age. 15,16 The menstrual cycle continues until the onset of menopause around the age of 50 17 when the ovaries stop producing estrogens.…”