title: Age of menarche and the metabolic syndrome in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In western populations, young age of menarche is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Little is known about the potential impact of menarche on the metabolic syndrome (as a proxy for cardiovascular risk) in rapidly economically developing populations where age of menarche is falling. We sought to determine the relation between age of menarche and the metabolic syndrome in a rapidly developing Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a retrospective historical cohort study of 7349 women from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, China, enrolled in 2003-2004. Cardiovascular risk factors were obtained from physical examination; age of menarche was obtained from self-report. The main outcome measure was the metabolic syndrome and its components.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted for age, education, and number of pregnancies, young age of menarche (<12.5 years) compared with age of menarche > or =14.5 years was associated with a higher risk of the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio = 1.49; 95% confidence interval = 1.22-1.82), central obesity (1.35; 1.10-1.65), raised blood pressure (1.34; 1.09-1.65), raised fasting glucose (1.40; 1.15-1.71), and higher triglyceride levels (1.36; 1.12-1.67). Further adjustment by waist circumference attenuated these effects, but the odds ratios remained elevated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Earlier age of menarche experienced by younger women in China today, now 12.5 years on average in urban populations, may contribute to an increase in the metabolic syndrome and thereby an increase in cardiovascular disease as these women age. These results further highlight the importance of childhood antecedents of adulthood disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, and School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heys
authors.forename: C Mary
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schooling
authors.forename: Chaoqiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cowling
authors.forename: Xiangqian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Weisen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kar Keung
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Peymane
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adab
authors.forename: G Neil
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Gabriel M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment