A new study suggests that the foods young girls eat could influence when they begin puberty.
According to a study published in the journal Human Reproduction, children who consumed a more inflammatory diet were 15% more likely to get their first period within the following month. In contrast, those with healthier eating patterns saw an 8% reduced risk.
Menstruation marks the onset of fertility in females and typically occurs between the ages of 10 and 16.
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Dr. Holly Harris, senior study author and epidemiologist at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, emphasised that early menstruation can signal increased risk for chronic health issues. Previous research suggests that women who started their periods at an early age may be at a higher risk for diabetes, obesity, breast cancer, and heart conditions.
The researchers reviewed data from more than 7,500 children ages 9 to 14 enrolled in the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS). They surveyed the kids in 1996 and 2004 and followed up with them in 2001 and 2008, respectively.
Researchers assessed the children’s diets using two key measures: the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), which scores foods and nutrients based on their links to chronic disease risk, and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP), which evaluates how likely a diet is to trigger chronic inflammation in the body.
Out of all the participants, 6,992 girls got their first period during the study. The data showed that girls with the healthiest diets (the top 20% based on the AHEI score) were 8% less likely to start their period in the next month compared to those with the least healthy diets. On the other hand, girls with the most inflammatory diets (the top 20% based on the EDIP score) were 15% more likely to get their first period soon compared to those with the least inflammatory diets.
The findings remained unaltered by the girls’ body mass index (BMI) or height, both of which have been associated with the earlier onset of periods.
“We observed that these two dietary patterns were associated with age at menarche, indicating that a healthier diet was linked to menstrual periods starting at an older age. Importantly, these results were independent of BMI and height, demonstrating the importance of a healthy diet regardless of body size,” Professor Harris said
