Association of age at menarche with adult height and sitting height in young Polish females.

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between the age at menarche and adult stature as well as sitting height and Cormic index in adulthood. Analyzed traits included also relative body height, expressed as a percentage of mid parental height, which may be regarded as an indicator of individual target height. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey among 1257 female university students, aged 19-25 y. Height and sitting height were measured. A survey was used to collect data on the examined females' age at menarche, their socio-economic status and their parents' height. The onset of menstruation before 12 years of age was classified as early, aged 12-14 y. as average, and above 14 years as late. The present study reported statistically significant differences in adult stature in relation to the age at menarche. Women with early menarche reached the shortest stature while women with late menarche - the tallest. The differences were statistically significant also when the analysis considered parents' stature and socio-economic status. No statistically significant differences in sitting height or the Cormic index depending on the age at menarche were found. We may conclude that irrespective of genetic factors (short, medium-height or tall parents) and environmental factors (low, medium or high socio-economic status), women whose first menstruation occurs at a younger age reach shorter stature and lower percentage of mid parental height than women who have their first menstruation at an older age. The absence of differences in sitting height and the Cormic index between individuals of different ages at menarche indicates that the variation in stature results from the length of lower limbs.