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Menarche
Kinds of Menarche Selected AbstractsPubertal Maturation Characteristics and the Rate of Bone Mass Development Longitudinally Toward MenarcheJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001Silvia C. C. M. Van Coeverden Abstract To assess risks for osteoporosis and to compare bone mass in different groups of healthy children or children with diseases, it is important to have knowledge of their sexual maturation status during puberty. The aim of our study was to evaluate bone mass formation longitudinally in relation to pubertal maturation characteristics in healthy white girls. We investigated the bone mineral content (BMC) and the bone mineral density (BMD) at different skeletal sites in 151 girls with increasing pubertal stages in relation with their chronological age and with an early or late onset of puberty or menarche and with a slow or fast maturation. Bone mass was measured at the onset of puberty, during puberty, and at menarche. We conclude the following: (1) from midpuberty to menarche, the increase in bone mass formation is highest at all skeletal sites in white girls; (2) early mature girls at the onset of puberty have slightly but definitely lower bone masses at all skeletal sites and at all pubertal stages than late mature girls, whereas the average bone mass formation from the onset of puberty to menarche is similar in both groups; (3) girls with a slow rate of pubertal maturation have lower bone mass values 2 years after the onset of puberty, but at menarche bone mass is similar compared with fast maturers; and (4) it cannot be confirmed that there is an effect of menarcheal age on bone mass values at menarche. [source] Parent,Daughter Transmission of the Androgen Receptor Gene as an Explanation of the Effect of Father Absence on Age of MenarcheCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2002David E. Comings Based on an evolutionary theory of socialization, Belsky and colleagues proposed that girls exposed to a stressful environment, especially when due to father absence in the first 7 years of life, showed an early onset of puberty, precocious sexuality, and unstable relationships as adults. The authors of this article examined an alternative explanation that a variant X,linked androgen receptor (AR) gene, predisposing the father to behaviors that include family abandonment, may be passed to their daughters causing early puberty, precocious sexuality, and behavior problems. The results of a study of 121 White males and 164 White females showed a significant association of the short alleles of the GGC repeat polymorphism of the AR gene with a range of measures of aggression and impulsivity, increased number of sexual partners, sexual compulsivity, and lifetime number of sex partners in males; and paternal divorce, father absence, and early age of menarche in females. These findings support a genetic explanation of the Belsky psychosocial evolutionary hypothesis regarding the association of fathers' absence and parental stress with early age of onset of menarche and early sexual activity in their daughters. A genetic explanation of the father absence effect is proposed in which fathers carrying the AR alleles are more likely to abandon a marriage (father absence) and pass those alleles to their daughters in whom they produce an earlier age of menarche and behavioral problems. [source] ,Age of menarche in females with autism spectrum conditions ,DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 12 2006Rebecca C Knickmeyer No abstract is available for this article. [source] Awareness of breast and cervical cancer risk factors and screening behaviours among nurses in rural region of TurkeyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 3 2008A. YAREN md Breast and cervical cancer are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women worldwide, but actually they are largely preventable diseases. There is limited data on breast and cervical cancer knowledge, screening practices and attitudes of nurses in Turkey. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate the knowledge and attitude of nurses on risk factors of the breast and cervical cancer as well as screening programmes such as breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination, mammography (MMG) and papanicolaou (pap) smear test. In total, 125 out of 160 nurses participated in the study (overall response rate was 80.6%). The risk factors and symptoms of breast cancer was generally well known, except for early menarche (23.2%) and late menopause (28.8%). For cervical cancer, the correct risk factors mostly indicated by the nurses were early age at first sexual intercourse (56%), smoking (76%), multiple sexual partners (71.2%). As for screening methods, it was believed that BSE was a beneficial method to identify the early breast changes (84.8%) and MMG was able to detect the cancer without a palpable mass (57.6%). Little was known about the fact that women should begin cervical cancer screening approximately 3 years after the onset of sexual intercourse (23.2%) and if repeated pap smear test were normal, it could be done every 2,3 years. Most of the nurses considered that MMG decreases the mortality in breast cancer (65.6%) and also believed that pap smear test decreases the mortality in cervical cancer (75.2%). Despite high level of knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, symptoms and screening methods, inadequate knowledge of cervical cancer screening method were found among nurses. [source] Interactions between genetic and reproductive factors in breast cancer risk in a population-based sample of African-American familiesGENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Valérie Chaudru Abstract Incidence of breast cancer (BC) varies among ethnic groups, with higher rates in white than in African-American women. Until now, most epidemiological and genetic studies have been carried out in white women. To investigate whether interactions between genetic and reproductive risk factors may explain part of the ethnic disparity in BC incidence, a genetic epidemiology study was conducted, between 1989 and 1994, at the Howard University Cancer Center (Washington, DC), which led to the recruitment of 245 African-American families. Segregation analysis of BC was performed by use of the class D regressive logistic model that allows for censored data to account for a variable age of onset of disease, as implemented in the REGRESS program. Segregation analysis of BC was consistent with a putative dominant gene effect (P < 0.000001) and residual sister-dependence (P < 0.0001). This putative gene was found to interact significantly with age at menarche (P = 0.048), and an interaction with a history of spontaneous abortions was suggested (P = 0.08). A late age at menarche increased BC risk in gene carriers but had a protective effect in non-gene carriers. A history of spontaneous abortions had a protective effect in gene carriers and increased BC risk in non-gene carriers. Our findings agree partially with a similar analysis of French families showing a significant gene × parity interaction and a suggestive gene × age at menarche interaction. Investigating gene × risk factor interactions in different populations may have important implications for further biological investigations and for BC risk assessment. Genet. Epidemiol. 22:285,297, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Hypothesis: exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may interfere with timing of pubertyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2010A. Mouritsen Summary A recent decline in onset of puberty , especially among girls , has been observed, first in the US in the mid-1990s and now also in Europe. The development of breast tissue in girls occurs at a much younger age and the incidence of precocious puberty (PP) is increasing. Genetic factors and increasing prevalence of adiposity may contribute, but environmental factors are also likely to be involved. In particular, the widespread presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is suspected to contribute to the trend of earlier pubertal onset. The factors regulating the physiological onset of normal puberty are poorly understood. This hampers investigation of the possible role of environmental influences. There are many types of EDCs. One chemical may have more than one mode of action and the effects may depend on dose and duration of the exposure, as well as the developmental stage of the exposed individual. There may also be a wide range of genetic susceptibility to EDCs. Human exposure scenarios are complex and our knowledge about effects of mixtures of EDCs is limited. Importantly, the consequences of an exposure may not be apparent at the actual time of exposure, but may manifest later in life. Most known EDCs have oestrogenic and/or anti-androgenic actions and only few have androgenic or anti-oestrogenic effects. Thus, it appears plausible that they interfere with normal onset of puberty. The age at menarche has only declined by a few months whereas the age at breast development has declined by 1 year; thus, the time span from initiation of breast development to menarche has increased. This may indicate an oestrogen-like effect without concomitant central activation of the hypothalamic,pituitary axis. The effects may differ between boys and girls, as there are sex differences in age at onset of puberty, hormonal profiles and prevalence of precocius puberty. [source] Endocrine disrupters and human pubertyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 1 2006E. DEN HOND Summary In this overview of the literature, epidemiological research studying the effect of endocrine disrupters on the onset of puberty is summarized. In girls, earlier age at menarche was reported after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), persistent pesticides [dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)] and phthalate esters. However, several other studies found no effect of these compounds on age at menarche or pubertal Tanner stages. One study reported a delaying effect of dioxin-like compounds on breast development. In boys, exposure to PCBs, PCDFs or the pesticide endosulfan was associated with delayed puberty or decreased penile length. Much of the results found in population studies are in accordance with experimental studies in animals. However, the mixture of different components with antagonistic effects (oestrogenic, anti-oestrogenic, anti-androgenic) and the limited knowledge about the most critical window for exposure (prenatal, peri-natal and pubertal) may hamper the interpretation of results. [source] Reproductive factors, exogenous hormone use and bladder cancer risk in a prospective study,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 10 2006Marie M. Cantwell Abstract Sex is a consistent predictor of bladder cancer: men experience 2,4-fold higher age-adjusted rates than women in the U.S. and Europe. The objective of this study was to examine whether hormone-related factors are associated with bladder cancer in women. We examined parity, age at menarche, age at first birth, age at menopause, oral contraceptive use and menopausal hormone therapy (HT) use and bladder cancer risk in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project Follow-Up Study. Endpoint and exposure information was collected on 54,308 women, using annual telephone interviews (1980,86) and 3 mailed, self-administered questionnaires (1987,98). During an average follow-up time of 15.3 years, 167 cases of bladder cancer were identified. Univariate and adjusted rate ratios (RRs) were estimated using Poisson regression. Parity, age at menarche, age at first birth, age at menopause, and oral contraceptive use were not associated with bladder cancer risk. The majority of menopausal women who took HT used estrogen therapy (ET). Postmenopausal women with less than 4 years, 4,9 years, 10,19 years and 20 or more years of ET use had RRs of 1.55 (95% CI = 0.96,2.51), 1.00 (95% CI = 0.49,2.04), 1.23 (95% CI = 0.62,2.43) and 0.57 (95% CI = 0.14,2.34), respectively, compared with nonusers (p = 0.50). Findings from this study are not consistent with the hypothesis that hormone-related factors in women are associated with bladder cancer. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Education and risk of breast cancer in the Norwegian-Swedish women's lifestyle and health cohort studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 4 2004Tonje Braaten Abstract A positive relationship between level of education and female breast cancer risk is well supported by scientific evidence, but few previous studies could adjust for all relevant potential confounding factors. The authors' purpose was to examine how risk for breast cancer varies with level of education and to identify factors that explain this variation, using data from a prospective cohort study including 102,860 women from Norway and Sweden who responded to an extensive questionnaire in 1991/1992; 1,090 incident primary invasive breast cancer cases were revealed during follow-up, which ended in December 1999. The Cox Proportional Hazards Model was used to calculate relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Women with more than 16 years of education had a 36% increased risk compared to the lowest educated (7,9 years) (Age adjusted RR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.68). This relationship was slightly stronger among postmenopausal (RR 1.51) than among premenopausal (RR 1.25) women. In both groups, however, the relative risk estimates turned close to unity by adjustment for parity, age at first birth, body mass index (BMI), height, age at menarche, menopausal status, use of oral contraceptives and consumption of alcohol. The overall multivariate relative risk among the highest educated women was 1.04 (95% CI 0.82,1.32). The results of our study suggest a clear positive gradient in risk for breast cancer by level of education, which can be fully explained by established breast cancer risk factors. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Smoking and the risk of breast cancer among carriers of BRCA mutationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 3 2004Parviz Ghadirian Abstract The effect of cigarette smoking on the risk of breast cancer is controversial, although most studies show little or no effect. It has been suggested that smoking may reduce the risk of developing hereditary breast cancer. We completed a case-control study on 1,097 women with breast cancer who were BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers and 1,097 age-matched controls with a mutation in the same gene but without breast cancer. There were no statistically significant differences between the cases and controls in terms of the number of current and ex-smokers (41.2% and 40.4%, respectively) or the age at smoking commencement (18.2 years and 18.5 years, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between cases and controls regarding beginning smoking within 5 years of menarche (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 0.83 to l.28) or before the first pregnancy (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 0.90 to 1.33). In conclusion, contrary to our previous report, smoking does not appear to be a risk factor for breast cancer among carriers of BRCA mutations. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The impact of the Occupation of Guernsey 1940,1945 on breast cancer risk factors and incidenceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2007I. S. Fentiman Summary To examine the impact of the German Occupation of Guernsey (1940,1945) on breast cancer risk factors and incidence. Under study were 1019 women who stayed, or whose mothers had stayed, in Guernsey, and 1358 women evacuated or born to evacuated mothers. Amongst those born 1926,1934 who remained in Guernsey, the secular trend of earlier menarche disappeared: menarche was delayed by 12 months for those born in 1930. By March 2006, 97 breast cancers had been diagnosed, 37 in the occupied group. Unusually, higher age at menarche appeared to be associated with increased risk of breast cancer (,14 years vs. ,13 years: HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.80,2.92). Separate analyses by birth cohort revealed a non-significantly higher incidence in the subgroup born from 1926 to 1934 (HR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.62,2.76). Delay in menarche among women remaining in Guernsey during the Occupation, rather than being protective, was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. [source] Anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder in a prepubertal patient with bone dysplasia: A case reportINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 3 2005Luisa Lázaro MD Abstract Objective The current article describes the case of a 13-year-old girl with body dysplasia, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method She was given cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacologic treatment for the obsessive-compulsive symptomatology and exogenous growth hormone to increase her height. Results She experienced an adequate weight and height increase and remission of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, and reestablished adequate social and academic functioning. Conclusion After a follow-up of almost 2 years, she had had her menarche, continued her positive eating habits, and had not relapsed into OCD. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Breast cancer risk factors in Korean women: a literature reviewINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 3 2008S.-M. Lee rn Aim:, To compile a complete list of risk factors from the Korean breast cancer studies to obtain relevant predictor information essential in developing a predictive model for breast cancer. Background:, Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed female cancer in Korea. However, the breast cancer-screening rate in Korea is relatively low compared with that in other countries. In order to promote early health screening, there is a need to identify those individuals who are most likely to develop breast cancer by using an accurate predictive model. Methods:, Thirty-four breast cancer studies were selected from MEDLINE and two Korean literature databases. Two researchers summarized the risk factors and their effects in each article using a checklist. Findings:, Most of the studies were case,control studies conducted after 2000. In 34 articles, a total of 84 risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women were identified; of these, 58 factors were determined as statistically significant factors. The factors identified most often were body mass index, menarche, menopause, family history, pregnancy and delivery, breastfeeding, alcohol use, smoking habits, diet, education and use of oral contraceptives. None of 34 studies looked at stress as a risk factor of which influence on cancer has been reported in other populations. Conclusion:, The next steps will be to construct a questionnaire consisting of relevant variables based on these study results and to develop a predictive model. This would be used to encourage those Koreans who are more likely to develop breast cancer to have early check-ups. [source] Bone and Muscle Development During Puberty in Girls: A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study,,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 10 2009Leiting Xu Abstract The growth of lean mass precedes that of bone mass, suggesting that muscle plays an important role in the growth of bone. However, to date, no study has directly followed the growth of bone and muscle size through puberty and into adulthood. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the growth of muscle size precedes that of bone size (width and length) and mass during puberty. Bone and muscle properties were measured using pQCT and DXA in 258 healthy girls at baseline (mean age, 11.2 yr) and 1-, 2-, 3,4- and 7-yr follow-up. Growth trends as a function of time relative to menarche were determined from prepuberty to early adulthood for tibial length (TL), total cross-sectional area (tCSA), cortical CSA (cCSA), total BMC (tBMC), cortical volumetric BMD (cBMD), and muscle CSA (mCSA) in hierarchical models. The timings of the peak growth velocities for these variables were calculated. Seventy premenopausal adults, comprising a subset of the girl's mothers (mean age, 41.5 yr), were included for comparative purposes. In contrast to our hypothesis, the growth velocity of mCSA peaked 1 yr later than that of tibial outer dimensions (TL and tCSA) and slightly earlier than tBMC. Whereas TL ceased to increase 2 yr after menarche, tCSA, cCSA, tBMC, and mCSA continued to increase and were still significantly lower than adult values at the age of 18 yr (all p < 0.01). The results do not support the view that muscle force drives the growth of bone size during puberty. [source] Growth and Bone Mineral Accretion During Puberty in Chinese Girls: A Five-Year Longitudinal Study,,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008Kun Zhu Abstract There are few longitudinal data on bone development during puberty in children with low calcium intake. This 5-yr longitudinal study showed that, in Chinese girls, the mean apparent calcium retention efficiency during puberty was 40.9%, PHV occurred at 3,0 yr before menarche, and peak bone mineral accretion occurred 1 yr later than PHV. Chinese girls have high calcium retention efficiency during puberty. Introduction: There are few longitudinal data on bone development during puberty in children with low dietary calcium intake. The aim of this study was to examine the rate of growth and bone mineral accretion and study the predictors of total body BMC during puberty in a 5-yr longitudinal study with Chinese girls. Materials and Methods: Ninety-two girls, 9.5,10.5 yr of age at baseline, from the unsupplemented control group of a school milk intervention trial were included in this analysis. Data on anthropometric measurements, total body BMC as assessed by DXA, and calcium intake as assessed by a 3-day food record were obtained at baseline and 1, 2, 4, and 5 yr. Results: The mean age of menarche was 12.1 ± 1.0 yr. The mean annual rate of bone mineral accretion was 197.4 g/yr during the follow-up period, representing a calcium accretion rate of 162.3 mg/d. This calcium retention rate and the average dietary calcium intake of 444.1 mg/d gave an apparent calcium retention efficiency of 40.9%. Peak height velocity (PHV) occurred at 3,0 yr before menarche. Peak bone mineral accretion occurred 1 yr later than PHV. There was a decrease in size-corrected BMD in the year before menarche. In the linear mixed-effects model analysis containing body size and lifestyle factors, we found that height, body weight, and calcium intake were significant independent predictors of total body BMC. Conclusions: Chinese girls with low habitual dietary calcium intake have high calcium retention efficiency during puberty. Because calcium intake is a significant predictor of total body BMC, increasing dietary calcium intake may have beneficial effects on bone mineral accretion in these girls. [source] Pubertal Maturation Characteristics and the Rate of Bone Mass Development Longitudinally Toward MenarcheJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001Silvia C. C. M. Van Coeverden Abstract To assess risks for osteoporosis and to compare bone mass in different groups of healthy children or children with diseases, it is important to have knowledge of their sexual maturation status during puberty. The aim of our study was to evaluate bone mass formation longitudinally in relation to pubertal maturation characteristics in healthy white girls. We investigated the bone mineral content (BMC) and the bone mineral density (BMD) at different skeletal sites in 151 girls with increasing pubertal stages in relation with their chronological age and with an early or late onset of puberty or menarche and with a slow or fast maturation. Bone mass was measured at the onset of puberty, during puberty, and at menarche. We conclude the following: (1) from midpuberty to menarche, the increase in bone mass formation is highest at all skeletal sites in white girls; (2) early mature girls at the onset of puberty have slightly but definitely lower bone masses at all skeletal sites and at all pubertal stages than late mature girls, whereas the average bone mass formation from the onset of puberty to menarche is similar in both groups; (3) girls with a slow rate of pubertal maturation have lower bone mass values 2 years after the onset of puberty, but at menarche bone mass is similar compared with fast maturers; and (4) it cannot be confirmed that there is an effect of menarcheal age on bone mass values at menarche. [source] Good Maintenance of Exercise-Induced Bone Gain with Decreased Training of Female Tennis and Squash Players: A Prospective 5-Year Follow-Up Study of Young and Old Starters and ControlsJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001Saija Kontulainen Abstract This prospective 5-year follow-up study of 64 adult female racquet sports players and 27 controls assessed the changes in the playing-to-nonplaying arm bone mineral content (BMC) differences to answer three questions: (1) Are training-induced bone gains lost with decreased training? (2) Is the bone response to decreased training different if the playing career has been started before or at puberty rather than after it? (3) Are the possible bone changes related to the changes in training? The players were divided into two groups according to the starting age of their tennis or squash playing. The mean starting age was 10.5 years (SD, 2.2) among the players who had started training before or at menarche (young starters; n = 36) while 26.4 years (SD, 8.0) among those players who had begun training a minimum of 1 year after menarche (old starters; n = 28). At baseline of the 5-year follow-up, the mean age of the young starters was 21.6 years (SD, 7.6) and that of old starters was 39.4 years (SD, 10.5). During the follow-up, the young starters had reduced the average training frequency from 4.7 times a week (2.7) to 1.4 times a week (1.3) and the old starters from 4.0 times a week (1.4) to 2.0 times a week (1.4), respectively. The 5-year follow-up revealed that despite reduced training the exercise-induced bone gain was well maintained in both groups of players regardless of their clearly different starting age of activity and different amount of exercise-induced bone gain. The gain was still 1.3,2.2 times greater in favor of the young starters (at the follow-up, the dominant-to-nondominant arm BMC difference was 22% [8.4] in the humeral shaft of the young starters versus 10% [3.8] in the old starters, and 3.5% [2.4] in controls). In the players, changes in training were only weakly related to changes in the side-to-side BMC difference (rs = 0.05,0.34, all NS), and this was true even among the players who had stopped training completely a minimum 1 year before the follow-up. In conclusion, if controlled interventions will confirm our findings that an exercise-induced bone gain can be well maintained with decreased activity and that the maintenance of the bone gain is independent of the starting age of activity, exercise can be recommended for preventing osteoporosis and related fractures. [source] Generalized Low Areal and Volumetric Bone Mineral Density in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 8 2000J. C. Y. Cheng Abstract Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) may be associated with generalized low bone mineral status. The bone mineral density (BMD) of 75 girls of 12,14 years of age and diagnosed as having AIS were compared with 94 age-matched female control subjects. Areal BMD (aBMD) of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and the bilateral proximal femur were measured using -energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and volumetric BMD (vBMD) of the nondominant distal radius and bilateral distal tibias was measured with peripheral quantitative computer tomography (pQCT). Relevant anthropometric parameters and the severity of the spinal deformity (Cobb's angle) also were evaluated and correlated with the BMD measurements. Results revealed the presence of a generalized lower bone mineral status in AIS patients. Detailed analysis showed that the aBMD and vBMD measured at the bilateral lower extremities were significantly lower in AIS patients when compared with the same in the normal controls. The most significant effect was seen in the trabecular BMD (tBMD) of the distal tibias. Of all the AIS girls, 38% of the aBMD and 36% of the vBMD were below ,1 SD of the normal. BMD was found to correlate better with "years since menarche" (YSM) than with chronological age. When the BMD was evaluated for the 3 YSM groups, aBMD of the proximal femur and tBMD of distal tibias were found to be significantly lower in the AIS patients. Neither the aBMD nor the vBMD of AIS patients was found to be associated with the severity of spinal deformity. In addition, anthropometric measurements showed significantly longer arm span and lower extremities in the AIS girls. We concluded that the AIS girls had generalized lower aBMDs and vBMDs. [source] The French longitudinal study of growth and nutrition: data in adolescent males and femalesJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 6 2002M. Deheeger Abstract Objectives To assess nutritional intake, growth parameters, physical activity and television viewing in French adolescents. Method A longitudinal study of dietary intake and anthropometric data recorded in the same children (n = 94) from 10 to 16 years of age is presented here. Results Energy intake increased from age 10,16 years in boys, whereas it decreased in girls from the age of 14. Height and weight increased in both males and females over the same period of time. Energy intake was positively associated with age at menarche. Nutritional intake, such as fat and calcium, did not meet recommendations for French adolescents. Height was higher than reference values, but the difference was not significant for girls between 14 and 16 years. Overweight (BMI > 97th percentile of the French reference) was found to be 13,14% between age 10 and 16 years. Time watching TV/computer increased with age from 1.4 to 2.2 h day,1 from 10 to 16 years. Active children had nutritional intake closer to recommendations. Conclusion In conclusion, this study shows that during adolescence, some nutritional variations can be explained by normal individual growth processes. Low intake of calcium in girls and sedentary lifestyle are of particular concern. [source] Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in Jordanian WomenJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 1 2002Wasileh Petro-Nustas Purpose: To investigate risk factors associated with breast cancer in Jordanian women. Design: Retrospective case-control study based on data from the Jordanian Cancer Registry in 1996. Methods: One hundred women with breast cancer (cases) and 100 women without breast cancer (controls) were interviewed in their homes. A questionnaire was developed in Arabic to investigate the risk factors associated with breast cancer in Jordanian women. Findings: Bivariate analysis indicated significant differences between the cases and controls, including age of menarche and menopause, use of households' pesticides, stressful life events, and direct trauma to the breast. Logistic regression analysis indicated higher odds ratios for breast enlargement, irregular menstruation, use of hair dye, oral contraceptives, and fertility drugs. Conclusions: Significant differences in correlates of breast cancer were found between the cases and the controls. [source] Precocious puberty in Turner syndromeJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 11 2007Matthew A Sabin Abstract: Turner syndrome (TS) affects approximately 1 in 2000 liveborn girls. It is a common cause of short stature and is often, but not universally, associated with characteristic dysmorphic features and ovarian dysgenesis. Genotype/phenotype correlation in TS is generally poor and girls with TS may occasionally have normal functioning ovarian tissue, with approximately 30,40% entering puberty, 4% achieving menarche and 1% being fertile. In this report, we describe a girl with mosaic TS who unusually experienced spontaneous precocious puberty with associated accelerated longitudinal growth during mid childhood. This case acts as a useful clinical vignette with which to highlight important aspects of diagnosis and treatment in children with TS, particularly in relation to future growth potential and issues relating to fertility. [source] Parent , Adolescent Relationships and Girls' Unhealthy Eating: Testing Reciprocal EffectsJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 4 2002Andrea Bastiani Archibald This longitudinal study tested the direction of associations between parent ,adolescent relationships and adolescent girls' unhealthy eating. Girls (N= 184) were seen at Time 1 (M age = 14.30 years), and then again 2 years later (Time 2; M age = 16.04 years). At both assessment periods, they completed measures that assessed their eating attitudes and behaviors, relationships with their parents, height, weight, and age of menarche. Whereas unhealthy family relationships have been hypothesized as a precursor to unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviors, it is also possible that increases in these behaviors contribute to more negative relationships within the family. Structural equation modeling was employed to simultaneously investigate the longitudinal influence of parent , adolescent relationships on girls' unhealthy eating, and girls' unhealthy eating on parent , adolescent relationships. The model was tested with the following controls: body mass (kg/m2), pubertal timing and age. A longitudinal direct effect was found for unhealthy eating on parent, adolescent relationships; however, no direct effect was found for parent, adolescent relationships on unhealthy eating over time. For middle, and late,adolescent girls, it appears that unhealthy eating behaviors and attitudes are predictive of less positive parent , adolescent relationships over time. [source] Childhood Onset Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus Does Not Resolve at Puberty: A Prospective Case SeriesPEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2009Saxon D. Smith M.B.Ch.B. However when it occurs in adult women it is accepted that remission is unlikely and that in addition untreated or inadequately treated disease may be complicated by significant disturbance of vulvar architecture and less commonly squamous cell carcinoma. Our database reveals 18 girls who developed lichen sclerosus prior to puberty who are now adolescents or young adults. Twelve have remained under surveillance and the other six patients have been lost to follow-up. We report a prospective series of these 12 patients. Three patients have achieved complete remission sustained for three or more years, all prior to menarche. Nine patients, or 75% of the cohort, who still had active lichen sclerosus at puberty continue to require maintenance therapy after menarche. Of the 12, six have had significant disturbance of vulvar architecture. The concept that prepubertal lichen sclerosus resolves at puberty would appear not to be true in the majority of patients. Even when diagnosed early and treated effectively, childhood onset lichen sclerosus may be complicated by distortion of vulvar architecture. [source] Boyfriends, Girlfriends and Teenagers' Risk of Sexual InvolvementPERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, Issue 2 2006Barbara VanOss Marín CONTEXT: Having a boyfriend or girlfriend, especially an older one, is associated with increased sexual risk in early adolescence. The mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. METHODS: Middle school students in Northern California were surveyed annually from 1997 to 2000. For a sample of 1,214 males and 1,308 females who were sexually inexperienced in seventh grade, logistic and linear regression were used to explore associations between relationship status in seventh grade and sexual activity in ninth grade, controlling for sixth-grade and eighth-grade characteristics. RESULTS: Males who had had a girlfriend their age by seventh grade were more likely than those who had had no relationship to report sexual activity in ninth grade (odds ratio, 2.1). Similarly, for females, the odds of being sexually active in ninth grade were elevated among those who had had a boyfriend their age (2.9); however, they also were higher among those who had had an older boyfriend than among those who had had one their age (2.1). With sixth-grade risk factors controlled, relationship status in seventh grade remained significant only for females; the association was explained by early menarche and by participation in situations that could lead to sex and riskier peer norms in eighth grade. For males, eighth-grade situations that could lead to sex, Hispanic ethnicity and sixth-grade peer norms explained ninth-grade sexual behavior. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the risk of adolescent sexual activity, parents and communities should encourage youth in middle school, especially females who experience early menarche, to delay serious romantic relationships. [source] Leg length and age of puberty among men and women from a developing population: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort studyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010C.M. Schooling Objectives: Leg length and relative leg length are considered to be reliable markers of prepubertal living conditions. Cessation of leg growth, driven by estrogen, occurs earlier in puberty in girls than boys. We hypothesized that leg length and relative leg length, as sitting height to leg ratio, might have sex-specific associations with age of puberty. Methods: We used multivariable linear regression in 10,046 older (,50 years) Chinese from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (Phase 3) to examine the associations of recalled age of puberty (women: age of menarche, and men: mean age of first nocturnal emission, voice breaking, and first pubic hair) with subischeal leg length, sitting height to leg ratio, and sitting height. Results: Leg length and sitting height to leg ratio had different associations with age of puberty in men and women (P -values for interaction <0.001), but sitting height did not. Per year earlier puberty, legs were longer among men by 0.09 cm (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01,0.18) and shorter among women by ,0.16 cm (95% CI ,0.20 to ,0.12). Further adjustment for age, hip size (as a marker of buttock fat), and several markers of childhood conditions did not obviate the difference in association by sex. Conclusions: Adult leg length and relative leg length (sitting height to leg ratio) may be biomarkers of different exposures in men and women, with corresponding implications for their interpretation as a biomarker of early life exposures. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22:683,687, 2010. © 2010Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Secular trend in age at menarche in indigenous and nonindigenous women in ChileAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010X.M. Ossa Objectives: To estimate the secular trend in age at menarche, comparing indigenous and nonindigenous women, and its relationship with socio-demographic, family and nutritional factors. Methods: A study (historical cohorts) of 688 indigenous and nonindigenous women, divided into four birth cohorts (1960,69, 1970,79, 1980,89, and 1990,96) in an area in central southern Chile was carried out. Data and measurements were collected by health professionals using a previously validated questionnaire. Age at menarche was self-reported (recall). Adjusted differences among cohorts were estimated using a multivariate regression model. Results: A secular trend (P < 0.001) in age at menarche was found in both ethnic groups, with no significant differences between them (P > 0.05). In an adjusted model, a reduction in age at menarche was estimated at 3.7 months per decade between 1960 and 1990. This trend was moderated by higher socio-economic level, smaller number of siblings, and cohabitation with a single parent during infancy. Conclusions: The trend has occurred in a steady progression over time in indigenous women, whereas in nonindigenous women, it was slow initially but has accelerated in recent years. Nonindigenous women have maintained a slightly lower age of menarche than their indigenous counterparts. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22:688-694, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Does second-to-fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D) predict age at menarche in women?AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Samuli Helle Prenatal steroid levels, estimated as the ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), have been related to reproductive success in women, but direct associations between 2D:4D and physiological measures of fertility remain rare. A recent study reported that lower, masculinized right hand 2D:4D was correlated with delayed age at menarche in women. We addressed this question by investigating whether 2D:4D was associated with recalled age at menarche in 282 post-reproductive Finnish women, using Cox regression model that controlled for a woman's sibling composition, urban or rural residence and temporal trend in menarcheal age. We found no evidence that neither the 2D:4D of the right nor the left hand were related to a woman's age at menarche among these Finnish women. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Reproductive development and parental investment during pregnancy: Moderating influence of mother's early environmentAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010David A. Coall The association between a woman's age at menarche and the birth weight of her children is highly variable across human populations. Life history theory proposes that a woman's early environment may moderate this association and thus account for some of the variation between populations. According to one life history theory model, for individuals who develop in a childhood environment of high local mortality rates (experienced subjectively as psychosocial stress), it can be adaptive to mature earlier, have more offspring during their reproductive lifetime, and reduce investment in each offspring. In an environment of low psychosocial stress, however, it may be adaptive to mature later, have fewer offspring, and invest more in each. In this study, birth weight and proportionate birth weight (neonate's birth weight as a percentage of its mother's prepregnancy weight) were used as measures of parental investment during pregnancy. In a sample of 580 first-time mothers, we tested the hypothesis that the psychosocial stress experienced as a child would moderate the association between age at menarche and investment during pregnancy. We found that earlier menarche in those women who experienced stressful life events before 15 years of age was associated with a lower birth weight and proportionate birth weight. Conversely, in those who reported no childhood stressors, earlier menarche was associated with increased birth weight and proportionate birth weight. Our data suggest that the moderating influence of the childhood psychosocial environment on the association between age at menarche and parental investment throughout gestation operates in a dose-dependent manner. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Fertility, body size, and shape: An empirical test of the covert maternal depletion hypothesis,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Ilona Nenko In populations with limited resources, high-reproductive effort may lead to poor nutritional status of the mother (the maternal depletion syndrome), whereas in well-nourished populations woman's body weight tends to increase after each pregnancy. However, in affluent populations, women's body shape may change due to mobilization of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from the lower parts of their bodies to meet the needs of the developing child (the "covert maternal depletion"). We studied relationships between reproductive history traits and body size and shape for 296 rural, parous women in good nutritional status (mean body mass index, BMI = 27.9, SD = 5.94), aged 22,85 (mean 47.8, SD = 16.34) from southern Poland. Body mass adjusted for age, age of menarche, body height, and similarly adjusted BMI were each positively related to the number of children born by a woman (R = 0.13, P = 0.02 and R = 0.13, P = 0.02, respectively). Waist and hip circumferences, adjusted for confounders, did not show statistically significant relationships with the number of children. Moreover, groups with low and high parity did not significantly differ in hip/BMI and waist/BMI ratios, which were proposed to be indicators of covert form of maternal depletion (after controlling for overall body fatness and age). In conclusion, parity caused a slightly higher body mass and BMI later in life. However, parity did not lead to covert maternal depletion, perhaps because women in this population have relatively high-dietary intake of PUFAs. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Total estradiol levels in migrant and British-born British Pakistani women: Investigating early life influences on ovarian functionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Tessa M. Pollard The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that women who grow up in energetically stressed environments have later menarche and lower total estradiol levels during their reproductive years than do women who grow up in less energetically stressed environments. We assessed total estradiol in a serum sample taken 9,11 days after the start of the menstrual cycle in 26 women who grew up in Pakistan and migrated to the UK as adults, in 28 British-born British Pakistani women, and in 25 British-born women of European origin. Women who grew up in Pakistan reported a later menarche than women who grew up in the UK. However, we found no significant differences between the groups in total estradiol level. Thus our findings do not support the hypothesis that estradiol levels are partially determined during early life. However, having considered our findings in relation to those of other studies, we conclude that new methodological approaches are needed to provide a more definitive test of the hypothesis. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||