Associations of early life and sociodemographic factors with menarcheal age in European adolescents

作者：Meulenijzer Evelien; Vyncke Krishna; Labayen Idoia; Meirhaeghe Aline; Beghin Laurent; Breidenassel Christina; Espana Romero Vanesa; Manios Yannis; Ferrari Marika; Moreno Luis A; Gottrand Frederic; De Henauw Stefaan; Gonzalez Gross Marcela; Kafatos Anthony; Widhalm Kurt; Molnar Denes; Sjostrom Michael; Marcos Ascension; Androutsos Odysseas; Waernberg Julia; Gilbert Chantal C; Huybrechts Inge^*

来源：European Journal of Pediatrics, 2015, 174(2): 271-278.

DOI：10.1007/s00431-014-2376-5

• Menarche
• Obesity
• Birth size
• Gestational age
• Breastfeeding

Early menarche has been associated with adult overweight, cardiovascular risk factors, and other diseases. Little is known about the determinants of menarcheal age (MA). Therefore, the main aim of this study was to examine the associations between early life programming factors and menarcheal age in European adolescents. Secondly, the influence of sociodemographical factors on menarcheal age was also studied. A total of 1,069 European girls from the HELENA cross-sectional study, aged 12.5-17.5 years, were included in this study. Using multilevel linear regression models, a possible association between birth weight and length, ponderal index at birth, gestational age, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and menarcheal age was examined. Associations between geographical gradient, number of siblings, physical activity (PA), dietary factors, and menarcheal age were also examined. After adjustment, menarcheal age was positively associated with birth weight and length (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01). Conclusion: These findings confirm that birth weight and length may have a programming effect on menarcheal age. Next to this finding, sociodemographic factors were not associated with menarcheal age.

• 出版日期2015-2