title: [Continuously diminishing menarcheal age in Denmark].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to follow the development of the parameters of the distribution of age at menarche in Danish women in recent decades.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is based on retrospective data from six different samples with a total of 42,784 women, born in the period 1923-1973.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report a renewed decline in the mean menarcheal age in a large Danish sample after a period with a halt in the trend towards an earlier age at menarche in many North European countries. We find a continuously declining mean menarcheal age in Denmark in women born in the years 1964-1973. In a sample of textile workers born in the years 1939-1968 (n = 12,605) we find a higher mean menarcheal age of one year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that menarcheal age is still delayed in certain groups in Denmark. It can therefore be expected that the menarcheal age will fall even more in the future.
authors.affiliation: Syddansk Universitet, Institut for Sundhedstjenesteforskning, Epidemiologi.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeune
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Boldsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies