BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether age at menarche is an independent determinant of future cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether menarcheal age is an independent predictor of body mass index (BMI) and a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence and adulthood. DESIGN: We examined the associations of menarcheal age with BMI (in kg/m(2)) and other cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence and adulthood in a population-based sample of 794 female adolescents aged 9-18 y at baseline. Their age at first menstruation was requested at baseline and again 3 and 6 y later. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed at baseline and at age 30-39 y. RESULTS: A 1-y decrease in menarcheal age was associated with 0.81 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.08) higher adult BMI as well as greater waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, elevated systolic blood pressure, higher insulin resistance, and greater risk of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05 for all). In multivariable analysis in which these adult risk factors were mutually adjusted for, only the inverse association between age at menarche and adult BMI remained. However, this inverse association was lost after adjustment for premenarcheal BMI (beta: -0.16; 95% CI -0.55, 0.23; P = 0.42). Higher premenarcheal BMI predicted earlier menarche, and the strong association between premenarcheal BMI and adult BMI was robust to adjustment for age at menarche. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that early menarche is only a risk marker. Greater childhood BMI seems to contribute to earlier age at menarche and, because of tracking, greater adult BMI and associated cardiovascular risk. An independent effect of early menarche on adult adiposity cannot be excluded, but it is likely to be small at best.
BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether age at menarche is an independent determinant of future cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether menarcheal age is an independent predictor of body mass index (BMI) and a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence and adulthood. DESIGN: We examined the associations of menarcheal age with BMI (in kg/m(2)) and other cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence and adulthood in a population-based sample of 794 female adolescents aged 9-18 y at baseline. Their age at first menstruation was requested at baseline and again 3 and 6 y later. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed at baseline and at age 30-39 y. RESULTS: A 1-y decrease in menarcheal age was associated with 0.81 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.08) higher adult BMI as well as greater waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, elevated systolic blood pressure, higher insulin resistance, and greater risk of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05 for all). In multivariable analysis in which these adult risk factors were mutually adjusted for, only the inverse association between age at menarche and adult BMI remained. However, this inverse association was lost after adjustment for premenarcheal BMI (beta: -0.16; 95% CI -0.55, 0.23; P = 0.42). Higher premenarcheal BMI predicted earlier menarche, and the strong association between premenarcheal BMI and adult BMI was robust to adjustment for age at menarche. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that early menarche is only a risk marker. Greater childhood BMI seems to contribute to earlier age at menarche and, because of tracking, greater adult BMI and associated cardiovascular risk. An independent effect of early menarche on adult adiposity cannot be excluded, but it is likely to be small at best.
Authors: Elisabeth Widén; Samuli Ripatti; Diana L Cousminer; Ida Surakka; Tuuli Lappalainen; Marjo-Riitta Järvelin; Johan G Eriksson; Olli Raitakari; Veikko Salomaa; Ulla Sovio; Anna-Liisa Hartikainen; Anneli Pouta; Mark I McCarthy; Clive Osmond; Eero Kajantie; Terho Lehtimäki; Jorma Viikari; Mika Kähönen; Chris Tyler-Smith; Nelson Freimer; Joel N Hirschhorn; Leena Peltonen; Aarno Palotie Journal: Am J Hum Genet Date: 2010-04-15 Impact factor: 11.025
Authors: Azad R Bhuiyan; Sathanur R Srinivasan; Wei Chen; Camilo Fernandez; Ji-Hua Xu; Gerald S Berenson Journal: Ann Epidemiol Date: 2015-02-14 Impact factor: 3.797
Authors: Chunyan He; Cuilin Zhang; David J Hunter; Susan E Hankinson; Germaine M Buck Louis; Mary L Hediger; Frank B Hu Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2009-12-21 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Noel T Mueller; Andrew O Odegaard; Myron D Gross; Woon Puay Koh; Jian-Min Yuan; Mark A Pereira Journal: Ann Epidemiol Date: 2012-08-31 Impact factor: 3.797
Authors: Maria E Bleil; Nancy E Adler; Bradley M Appelhans; Steven E Gregorich; Barbara Sternfeld; Marcelle I Cedars Journal: Biol Psychol Date: 2013-02-18 Impact factor: 3.251