How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Menarche is an important period in a female’s life; its time of onset may depend on various factors and could correlate with the development of diseases in adulthood. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between body mass index and age at onset of menarche; Methods We u...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03572-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832571322286211072 |
|---|---|
| author | Domitilla Marconi Dario Lipari Andrea Pammolli Paola Dalmasso Paola Nardone Alessio Vieno Rita Simi Giacomo Lazzeri |
| author_facet | Domitilla Marconi Dario Lipari Andrea Pammolli Paola Dalmasso Paola Nardone Alessio Vieno Rita Simi Giacomo Lazzeri |
| author_sort | Domitilla Marconi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Menarche is an important period in a female’s life; its time of onset may depend on various factors and could correlate with the development of diseases in adulthood. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between body mass index and age at onset of menarche; Methods We used a unique standardized national dataset on adolescent girls participating in the Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Two independent nationally representative survey datasets: one on 15-year-olds (n = 6505, year 2017/2018) and one on 11-year-olds (n = 6548, year 2013/2014) were analysed. The survey instrument was the self-report questionnaire. Median age at menarche and 95% confidence intervals were estimated through Kaplan–Meier analysis. Hierarchical models assessed the relationship between BMI and age at menarche; Results Region-level median age at menarche ranged between 12 years/5 months and 13 years/4 months. Region-level prevalence of overweight among 15-year-old girls ranged between 6% and 24%. Age at menarche was inversely associated with individual BMI (unstandardized regression coefficient beta=-0.81; 95% CI, -0.92 to -0.70). Individual-level and class-level measures of BMI accounted for 215.2% of the region-level variance in age at menarche; Conclusions The results show that girls who were overweight during childhood went through early puberty. Further investigation needs to assess a possible cause-effect relationship. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a8bd45326d244c5eb232f849619a5a50 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a8bd45326d244c5eb232f849619a5a502025-02-02T12:40:50ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-01-012511810.1186/s12905-025-03572-yHow does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional studyDomitilla Marconi0Dario Lipari1Andrea Pammolli2Paola Dalmasso3Paola Nardone4Alessio Vieno5Rita Simi6Giacomo Lazzeri7Post Graduate School of Public Health, University of SienaPost Graduate School of Public Health, University of SienaResearch, Education, Prevention and Health Promotion (CREPS), University of SienaDepartment of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of TorinoNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health) Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaResearch, Education, Prevention and Health Promotion (CREPS), University of SienaPost Graduate School of Public Health, University of SienaAbstract Background Menarche is an important period in a female’s life; its time of onset may depend on various factors and could correlate with the development of diseases in adulthood. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between body mass index and age at onset of menarche; Methods We used a unique standardized national dataset on adolescent girls participating in the Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Two independent nationally representative survey datasets: one on 15-year-olds (n = 6505, year 2017/2018) and one on 11-year-olds (n = 6548, year 2013/2014) were analysed. The survey instrument was the self-report questionnaire. Median age at menarche and 95% confidence intervals were estimated through Kaplan–Meier analysis. Hierarchical models assessed the relationship between BMI and age at menarche; Results Region-level median age at menarche ranged between 12 years/5 months and 13 years/4 months. Region-level prevalence of overweight among 15-year-old girls ranged between 6% and 24%. Age at menarche was inversely associated with individual BMI (unstandardized regression coefficient beta=-0.81; 95% CI, -0.92 to -0.70). Individual-level and class-level measures of BMI accounted for 215.2% of the region-level variance in age at menarche; Conclusions The results show that girls who were overweight during childhood went through early puberty. Further investigation needs to assess a possible cause-effect relationship.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03572-yEarly pubertyPubertyBMIOverweightMenarcheObesity |
| spellingShingle | Domitilla Marconi Dario Lipari Andrea Pammolli Paola Dalmasso Paola Nardone Alessio Vieno Rita Simi Giacomo Lazzeri How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study BMC Women's Health Early puberty Puberty BMI Overweight Menarche Obesity |
| title | How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study |
| title_full | How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study |
| title_short | How does BMI correlate with menarche onset? Evidence from the Italian HBSC cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | how does bmi correlate with menarche onset evidence from the italian hbsc cross sectional study |
| topic | Early puberty Puberty BMI Overweight Menarche Obesity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03572-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT domitillamarconi howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT dariolipari howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT andreapammolli howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT paoladalmasso howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT paolanardone howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT alessiovieno howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT ritasimi howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy AT giacomolazzeri howdoesbmicorrelatewithmenarcheonsetevidencefromtheitalianhbsccrosssectionalstudy |