Body mass index and age of menarche in young girls

Dina Olivia (Department of Child Health, University of Sumatera Utara Medical School/H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Melda Deliana (Department of Child Health, University of Sumatera Utara Medical School/H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Supriatmo Supriatmo (Department of Child Health, University of Sumatera Utara Medical School/H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Hakimi Hakimi (Department of Child Health, University of Sumatera Utara Medical School/H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Siska Mayasari Lubis (Department of Child Health, University of Sumatera Utara Medical School/H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)

Paediatrica Indonesiana
Vol 52 No 6 (2012): November 2012

Background Currently the age at onset of menarche is earlierthan in the past. Nutritional status has an important role inthe onset of menarche. Past studies have shO\vn an associationbetween body mass index (BMI) in young girls and earlier onsetof menarche.Objective To assess an association between BMI and age at onsetof menarche.Methods This cross􀁈sectional study was conducted in younggirls aged 10 to 15 years from Immanuel Elementary and JuniorHigh School, Medan in June 2010. We used purposive samplingto recruit subjects. After subjects underwent height and weightmeasurements, we calculated their BMIs. The association betweenBMI and initial age of menarche was assessed by Chi square test(P<O.05 v.ith a 95% confidence interval).Results Eighty􀁈five subjects participated in this study. There were44 subjects in the 5th􀀊85th percentile ofBMI (nonnoweight), 19subjects with 85th􀀊95th percentile of BMI (overweight) and 12subjects in the> 95th percentile ofBMI (obese). All obese subjectshad an earlier onset of menarche at ages 1O􀁈 11 years, comparedto that of non􀁈obese subjects (P=O.OOOl).Conclusion Young girls v.ith BMI > 95th percentile had anearlier age at onset of menarche than young girls v.ith lower BMls.[Paediatr lndanes. 2012,52:309-12].