Determinants of age at menarche in Korean elementary school girls.
10.4163/jnh.2015.48.4.344
- Author:
Mi Kyoung KWON
1
;
Eun Min SEO
;
Kyong PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Nutrition Management, Graduate School of Environment and Public Health Studies, Yeungnam University, Daegu 705-717, Korea. kypark@ynu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
age at menarche;
puberty;
growth;
obesity;
determinants
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Child;
Cohort Studies;
Daegu;
Female;
Female*;
Humans;
Korea;
Life Style;
Logistic Models;
Menarche*;
Obesity;
Odds Ratio;
Parents;
Prospective Studies;
Puberty;
Risk Factors
- From:Journal of Nutrition and Health
2015;48(4):344-351
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: During the recent decades, the age at menarche continued to decline in Korea and worldwide. Prior studies have suggested that early menarche may increase the risk of various social, psychological, and physical health problems in young adolescent girls, but little is known about the determinants associated with early menarche. The purpose of this study is to evaluate independent determinants of early menarche among 5th~6th female graders in South Korea. METHODS: Our analysis was conducted in 95 menarcheal girls and 95 age-matched pre-menarcheal girls residing in Daegu, South Korea. Demographic and lifestyle characteristics were collected using survey questionnaires for children and parents. Dietary information was assessed by 2 day~24 hour food records and survey questionnaires, which were completed by both children and their parents. Anthropometric data were obtained from the student health check-ups at the school. RESULTS: A multiple logistic regression analysis using a conditional likelihood method was performed for simultaneous evaluation of several risk factors. There were significant differences in that higher proportion of obesity (OR, odds ratio = 5.60, 95% CI, confidence interval = 1.34~23.42), shorter sleep duration (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.23~0.87), and younger mother's age at menarche (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.44~0.93) were observed in the menarcheal group compared to the premenarcheal group. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate a possible association of sleep duration, mother's menarcheal age, and obesity with age at menarche. A well-planned, prospective cohort study is warranted to examine causal relationship.
