May 30th 2024.
A recent study conducted in the US has revealed a concerning trend - young girls are getting their first periods at a much earlier age than previous generations. This early menstruation has been linked to a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The study, led by Harvard University's School of Public Health, looked at data from over 70,000 women and found that the average age of first period has decreased from 12.5 years for women born between 1950 and 1969 to 11.9 years for those born between 2000 and 2005.
The study also found that this trend was more pronounced in women from racial minorities and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. These findings, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open, shed light on the need for further research on menstrual health, especially among disadvantaged populations.
Zifan Wang, a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard's School of Public Health and the corresponding author of the study, emphasized the importance of understanding the factors that contribute to early menstruation. "Early menarche has been linked to a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, and with the trend of younger girls getting their first period, it is crucial that we invest in more research on menstrual health," he said.
The study also looked at the regularity of menstrual cycles and found that more than half of the women born between 2000 and 2005 reported irregular periods within the first two years of getting their first period. This is in contrast to 76% of women born between 1950 and 1969 who reported regular periods within the same time frame.
The researchers used data from the Apple Women's Health Study, which included a diverse group of 71,341 women, to conduct their research. They found that nearly half of the women who provided information on their body mass index (BMI) at the time of their first period could explain the early onset of menstruation. This suggests that obesity may be a contributing factor to early menstruation.
In addition to shedding light on the trend of early menstruation, the study also highlights the need for a better understanding of menstrual health across different age groups. The authors believe that the lived environment plays a significant role in influencing this vital sign and further research is necessary to address this issue.
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