Abstract
Methods: We carried out a retrospective historical cohort study of 7349 women from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, China, enrolled in 2003-2004. Cardiovascular risk factors were obtained from physical examination; age of menarche was obtained from self-report. The main outcome measure was the metabolic syndrome and its components.
Results: Adjusted for age, education, and number of pregnancies, young age of menarche (<12.5 years) compared with age of menarche ≤14.5 years was associated with a higher risk of the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio = 1.49; 95% confidence interval = 1.22-1.82), central obesity (1.35; 1.10-1.65), raised blood pressure (1.34; 1.09-1.65), raised fasting glucose (1.40; 1.15-1.71), and higher triglyceride levels (1.36; 1.12-1.67). Further adjustment by waist circumference attenuated these effects, but the odds ratios remained elevated.
Conclusions: Earlier age of menarche experienced by younger women in China today, now 12.5 years on average in urban populations, may contribute to an increase in the metabolic syndrome and thereby an increase in cardiovascular disease as these women age. These results further highlight the importance of childhood antecedents of adulthood disease.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 740-746 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Epidemiology |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
Supported by The University of Hong Kong Foundation for Development and Research, Hong Kong; The University of Hong Kong University Research Committee Strategic Research Theme Public Health, Hong Kong; Guangzhou Public Health Bureau, and Guangzhou Science and Technology Committee, Guangzhou, China; and The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. We thank Sir R Peto and ZM Chen of the Clinical Trial Service Unit, The University of Oxford for their support. The Guangzhou Cohort Study investigators include: Guangzhou No. 12 Hospital: XQ Lao, WS Zhang, M Cao, T Zhu, B Liu, CQ Jiang (Co-PI); The University of Hong Kong: GN Thomas, CM Schooling, SM McGhee, GM Leung, RF Fielding, TH Lam (Co-PI); The University of Birmingham: P Adab, Y Peng, KK Cheng (Co-PI). Our thanks also go to Steven Riley for his help with graphics and finally to 2 anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the final manuscript.
