Early menarche in normal-weight girls and its association with excess weight, abdominal obesity and metabolic changes at the end of sexual maturation.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to assess whether early menarche in normal-weight girls is associated with excess weight, abdominal obesity and metabolic changes at the end of sexual maturation.

SUBJECTS/

METHODS

This is a cohort study of 255 normal-weight girls aged 10-18 years attending public schools in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Northeast of Brazil. The following data were collected in 2007 and 2012: anthropometric; lifestyle, socioeconomic and demographic data; lipid profile; and self-assessed sexual maturation.

RESULTS

Eighty-four girls (32.9%) had early menarche. The socioeconomic level and time spent using a computer increased during this 5-year period, whereas the time spent watching television decreased. The prevalences of excess weight and abdominal obesity were 19.2% and 9.8%, respectively. The anthropometric and laboratory variables of girls with and without early menarche did not differ.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that early menarche did not influence weight, abdominal obesity and serum lipids in the final stage of sexual maturation.