The premature onset of the first menstruation increases the likelihood of becoming overweight in adolescence, say Portuguese scientists.
As a result of their research, scientists from the University of Minho observed that the onset of the first menstruation in girls under the age of 12 “significantly increases the risk” of rapid weight gain before adulthood.
The researchers also found that girls who reach puberty more quickly are usually prone to obesity in early childhood.
“As a rule, they become overweight again before entering adulthood. We are now investigating whether obesity is a cause or a consequence of premature sexual maturity, ‘reported Dr Raquel Leitao from the University of Minho.
The study carried out by Portuguese researchers also showed that girls aged 9 to 15 have significantly greater problems returning to a lower weight than their peers.
According to Raquel Leitao, the reduction in the age of onset of puberty in Portuguese women is due to a change in the food habits of the population.
“The average age at the onset of menstruation in Portugal today is 12,2 years. Over the past century, this rate has fallen by three years, which is an alarming signal about the diet of the Portuguese. In order to reduce the risk of becoming overweight in adolescence, it is important to prevent gaining too much weight in early childhood “- the researcher added.
Marcin Zatyka from Lisbon