title: Height Growth and Percentage of Body Fat in Relation to Early Menarche in Girls from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
abstract: Early menarche (EM) (i.e., age at menarche [AAM] <12 years of age) is related to short height and higher body fatness. In a mixed-longitudinal study done in Merida, Yucatan, height, body mass index (BMI), and percentage of body fat (BF%) were recorded at a one-year interval among 258 postmenarcheal (EM = 94) girls. Anthropometric measurements were recorded of the age cohorts in 2008-09 when participants were 13-17 years of age (baseline), and in the one-year follow-up study (± 6 days) the girls were 14-18 years of age. The BF% was estimated through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Mean AAM was 10.59 years in EM girls and 12.54 years in not early menarche (NEM) girls. Height growth (cm/year) was greater in NEM girls. Mean values of BMI, BF%, and frequencies of stunting (low height-for-age) and excess weight (overweight + obesity) were higher in EM girls than in their NEM age peers.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Human Ecology , Cinvestav-IPN , Merida , Mexico.
authors.forename: Sudip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Datta Banik
authors.affiliation: b Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY) , Merida , Mexico.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mendez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Human Ecology , Cinvestav-IPN , Merida , Mexico.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dickinson
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology*; D050177:Overweight
keywords: body fat; early menarche; height; obesity; overweight