Relationship between Age at Menarche and Metabolic Syndrome in Premenopausal Women: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014

Separate and combined effects of famine exposure and menarche age on metabolic syndrome among the elderly: a cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies have revealed multiple risk factors for metabolic syndrome. However, there are no consistent findings on the association between famine exposure, age at menarche, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. This cross-sectional study aimed to reveal the individual and combined effects of famine exposure and age at menarche on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among elderly women.

METHODS

Four thousand seven hundred seventy participants between 60 and 93 years of age were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Statistical differences between the baseline characteristics of famine exposure, age at menarche, and metabolic syndrome were evaluated using the t-test, F-test, and Chi-square test. Three multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to test the association between famine exposure, age of menarche, and the odds ratio of metabolic syndrome.

RESULTS

Two thousand one hundred ninety-eight (46.08%) participants had metabolic syndrome, while 2572 (53.92%) participants did not. Furthermore, 3068 (64.32%) women reported onset of menarche under 15 years of age, while 1702 (35.68%) women reported onset of menarche above 16 years of age. Regarding the separate association of famine exposure and age of menarche with metabolic syndrome, in model three, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure group vs. no famine exposure group odds ratio was 2.45 (95% CI 2.02, 2.97), and the older than 16 years vs. younger than 15 years group odds ratio was 1.23 (95% CI 1.09, 1.39), which was the highest odds ratio among the three models. Regarding the combined association of famine exposure and age of menarche with metabolic syndrome, in model three, among the age of menarche ≤ 15 years group, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure vs. no famine exposure group odds ratio was 2.45 (95% CI: 1.91, 3.14); among the menarche age ≥ 16 years group, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure stages vs. exposed group odds ratio was 3.27 (95% CI: 2.44, 4.38), which was the highest odds ratio among the three models.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggested that famine exposure and age at menarche, either separately or in combination, were positively associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among older women.

Reproductive factors and metabolic syndrome among Chinese women aged 40 years and older

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between reproductive variables and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among Chinese women aged 40 years and older.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 4453 women aged 40 years and older in Guangxi, China. The associations between women's reproductive factors and MetS were analyzed using a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS was 23.9% in this population. Women with MetS were mostly older, more likely to be postmenopausal, and had higher parity. Compared to women with one prior live birth, those with three or more live births had the highest odds of having MetS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.23-1.99). Similarly, compared to premenopausal women, postmenopausal participants had higher odds of having MetS (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.49-2.31). No associations were observed between MetS and abortion or with age at menarche.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that multiparity and menopausal status may be associated with the development of MetS. The inconsistency seen in epidemiological research to date calls for further investigation.

Long-term health outcomes of early menarche in women: an umbrella review

BACKGROUND

There is limited comprehensive evidence on the potential association between early menarche and subsequent health outcomes.

AIM

To evaluate the existing evidence for the association of early menarche with later health outcomes and assesse the strength and validity of the evidence for these associations.

DESIGN

Umbrella review.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Google Scholar, and manually screened retrieved references to find systematic reviews and meta-analyses from inception to July 2021. Early menarche was defined by taking into account ethnicity and birth year, and the outcomes were long-term consequences in adulthood.

RESULTS

Thirteen reviews encompassing 283 original articles and over 6.8 million participants from 39 countries across 5 continents were included. In categorical outcomes, early menarche was associated with metabolic syndrome (n = 37 543 pooled adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33, 1.83; high certainty [Hi]), endometrial cancer (n = 874 188, aRR 1.40, 95% CI 1.17, 1.68; Hi), type 2 diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance (n = 1 185 444, aRR 1.30, 95% CI 1.19, 1.42; Hi), breast cancer (n = 103 574, aRR 1.19, 95% CI 1.06, 1.33; Hi), death from all causes (n = 152 747, aRR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03, 1.19; Hi), obesity (n = 54 006, aRR 1.68, 95% CI 1.53, 1.84; moderate certainty [Mod]), gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 48 535, aRR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09, 1.58; Mod), hypertension (n = 1 682 689, aRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.20, 1.29; Mod), endometriosis (n = 885 390, aRR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09, 1.37; Mod), ovarian cancer (n = 1 022 451, aRR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04, 1.31; Mod) and asthma (n = 22 859, aRR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09, 1.57; low certainty [Lo]). For continuous outcomes, early menarche was associated with increased body mass index (BMI) in adults ≥40 years of age (n = 121 943, adjusted pooled standardized mean difference [aSMD] 0.30, 95% CI 0.28, 0.32; Mod), BMI in adults <40 years of age (n = 124 728, aSMD 0.39, 95% CI 0.36, 0.43; Mod), serum fasting insulin level (n = 17 020, aSMD 0.52, 95% CI 0.48, 0.57; Mod) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (n = 7925, aSMD 0.27, 95% CI 0.19, 0.35; Mod).

CONCLUSION

We found varied levels of evidence for the association between early menarche and the development of subsequent health problems. Our results recommend that physicians should pay attention to these associations, as early menarche can be a potential indicator of metabolic disorders and female-specific cancer and cause death in women.

Association between Age at Menarche and Metabolic Syndrome in Southwest Iran: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Age at menarche affects women's health outcomes and could be a risk factor for some diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). We assessed the association between age at menarche and MetS components in women aged 35-70 in Hoveyzeh, southwest Iran.

STUDY DESIGN

A case-control study.

METHODS

This case-control study was conducted on 5830 women aged 35-70 years in the Hoveyzeh cohort study (HCS), a part of the PERSIAN cohort study, from 2016-2018. The case group included women with MetS, while the controls were women without MetS. The MetS is determined based on standard NCEP-ATP III criteria. Data from demographic, socioeconomic, and reproductive history were gathered face-to-face through trained interviews. Moreover, laboratory, anthropometrics, and blood pressure measurements were assayed for participants. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the association between age at menarche and MetS, with adjustment for potential confounding variables.

RESULTS

The mean age at menarche was 12.60 ± 1.76 years old. Urban and rural women differed in age at menarche (12.58 ± 1.71 and 12.63 ± 1.83 years, respectively). The study revealed a statistically significant relationship between MetS and menarche age. The odds of developing MetS were 14% higher in women with menstrual age ≤ 11 years than in other groups.

CONCLUSION

As evidenced by the results of this study, the odds of having MetS were higher in women whose menarche age was ≤ 11 years. Furthermore, the association between MetS components and age groups at menarche was statistically significant.

Mediator or moderator? The role of obesity in the association between age at menarche and blood pressure in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a population-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the moderation/mediation between the age of menarche and obesity parameters in predicting blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

DESIGN

Our study is a population-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Participants in this study came from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

PARTICIPANTS

The analytical sample included 4513 participants aged 45-96 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Data were selected from the CHARLS, a cross-sectional study. Between-group differences were evaluated using χ², t-test and one-way analysis of variance. The trend of related variables by characteristics was also tested using contrast analysis, as appropriate. Then, correlations between characteristics, moderator, mediator, and independent and dependent variables were used by Spearman's correlation test and Pearson's correlation test. Finally, the mediation analysis was performed by model 4 in PROCESS V3.3 macro for SSPSS, and moderation analysis was used by model 1 for assessment. All covariates were adjusted in the moderation or mediation models.

RESULTS

In the correlation analysis, body mass index (BMI) and waist circle (WC) level were positively correlated with both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in women (BMI and DBP: r=0.221, p<0.001; WC and DBP: r=0.183, p<0.001; BMI and SBP: r=0.129, p<0.001; WC and SBP: r=0.177, p<0.001). Age of menarche was negatively correlated with DBP (r=-0.060, p<0.001). However, the age of menarche was not significantly correlated with SBP (r=-0.014, p=0.335). In the moderator analysis, after controlling for the potential confounders, the interaction term of obesity parameters×age of menarche was not significant for predicting either DBP (BMI: B=0.0260, SE=0.0229, p=0.2556, 95% CI -0.0189 to 0.071; WC: B=0.0099, SE=0.0074, p=0.1833, 95% CI -0.0047 to 0.0244) or SBP (BMI: B=0.0091, SE=0.0504, p=0.8561, 95% CI -0.0897 to 0.108; WC: B=-0.0032, SE=0.0159, p=0.8427, 95% CI -0.0343 to 0.028). All correlations were significant correlation between age of menarche, obesity parameters and BP except the path of the menarche age→SBP (with the addition of the BMI indicator: β=-0.0004, B=-0.0046, p=0.9797, 95% CI -0.3619 to 0.3526; with the addition of the WC indicator: β=0.0004, B=0.0044, p=0.9804, 95% CI -0.3439 to 0.3526) in crude model. In general, after controlling for potential confounders, BMI (DBP: β=-0.0471, B= -0.2682, p=0.0021, 95% CI -0.4388 to -0.0976; SBP: β=-0.0515, B=-0.6314, p<0.001, 95% CI -0.9889 to -0.2739) and WC (DBP: β=-0.0474, B= -0.2689, p<0.001, 95% CI -0.4395 to -0.0984; SBP: β=-0.0524, B=-0.6320, p<0.001, 95% CI -0.9832 to -0.2807) partly mediated the relationship between age of menarche and BP.

CONCLUSIONS

The interaction term of obesity parameters×age of menarche was not significant for predicting either DBP or SBP in women. Moreover, obesity parameters partly mediated the relationship between the age of menarche and BP.

Centenarian longevity had inverse relationships with nutritional status and abdominal obesity and positive relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover in the oldest females

Objective

The number of older people is estimated to increase from 524 million in 2010 to 1.5 billion in 2050. The factors and models of human longevity and successful aging are questions that have intrigued individuals for thousands of years. For the first time, the current study was designed to investigate the relationships between sex hormones, bone turnover, abdominal obesity, nutritional status and centenarian longevity in the oldest females.

Methods

The China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study was performed in 18 cities and counties of Hainan Province using standard methodology in 500 centenarian females and 237 oldest females aged between 80 and 99 years.

Results

Centenarians were inversely associated with the geriatric nutritional risk index [Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.901 (0.883–0.919)] and abdominal obesity [Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.719 (0.520–0.996)] and positively associated with prolactin [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.073 (1.044–1.103)], progesterone [Exp(B) (95% CI): 44.182 (22.036–88.584)], estradiol [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.094 (1.071–1.119)], osteocalcin [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.041 (1.028–1.054)], β-crossLaps [Exp(B) (95% CI): 63.141 (24.482–162.848)] and parathyroid [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.022 (1.013–1.031)] hormone levels (P < 0.05 for all). The geriatric nutritional risk index and abdominal obesity were inversely associated with luteinizing hormone [β coefficient (95% CI): − 0.001 (− 0.002 to 0.001)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.985 (0.974–0.996)], follicle-stimulating hormone [β coefficient (95% CI): 0.000 (− 0.001 to 0.000)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.990 (0.985–0.996)], osteocalcin [β coefficient (95% CI): − 0.001 (− 0.001 to 0.000)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.987(0.977–0.997)] and β-crossLaps [β coefficient (95% CI): − 0.100 (− 0.130 to 0.071)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.338 (0.166–0.689)] levels (P < 0.05 for all).

Conclusions

Centenarian longevity had inverse relationships with nutritional status and abdominal obesity and positive relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover. Nutritional status and abdominal obesity had inverse relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover. Increased sex hormones and bone turnover may be representative of centenarian longevity. Optimizing nutritional status and avoiding abdominal obesity may increase sex hormones and bone turnover and promote centenarian longevity and successful aging.

The role of multiparity and maternal age at first pregnancy in the association between early menarche and metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and older women

OBJECTIVE

To analyze whether maternal age at first pregnancy and parity are mediators of the association between early menarche and metabolic syndrome in a sample of middle-aged and older women.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of 428 women (40 to 80 y), who had experienced a pregnancy in their lifetime, was performed between 2014 and 2016. Age at first pregnancy, parity, and early menarche were self-reported. Metabolic syndrome was assessed using the criteria described by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III. The association between metabolic syndrome and early menarche was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The mediating role of age at first pregnancy and multiparity in the relationship between early menarche and metabolic syndrome was assessed through mediation analysis, adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS

According to adjusted logistic regression models, early menarche was associated with higher odds of prevalent metabolic syndrome (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.15-4.46). Mediation analysis showed a significant direct effect of early menarche on metabolic syndrome (β: 0.808; 95% CI: 0.107-1.508). Of the two mediators tested, age at first pregnancy was significant (β: 0.065; 95% CI: 0.004-0.221), ie, participants with and without early menarche differ, on average, by 0.879 SDs in the log odds of MetS (total effect), of which 0.065 SDs (8%), on average, would be attributable to the effect of early menarche on age at first pregnancy (indirect effect), which, in turn, affects MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

Age at first pregnancy may partially contribute to the association between early menarche and metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and older women who had experienced a pregnancy over their lifetime.

Longitudinal 15-year follow-up of women with former early puberty: abnormal metabolic profiles not associated with earlier age at onset of puberty, but associated with obesity

BACKGROUND

In 2011, we described 104 girls who were diagnosed as early puberty (EP) during 2003-2005. In 2019-2020, the former EP women had been followed up 14 years after attaining their final height.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the reproductive function and metabolic profiles of former EP women.

STUDY DESIGN

Fifty-seven former EP women were evaluated for reproductive function and examined for health status. Blood samples were obtained for metabolic profiles of glucose, lipids and insulin, and testosterone levels.

RESULTS

In 2020, the average age of the study women was 22.9 ± 1.7 years. The average height was 156.7 ± 5.6 cm. The average weight had increased from 52.5 ± 7.8 kg in 2011 to 58.5 ± 11.1 kg in 2020 and average body mass index (BMI) from 21.4 ± 2.9 to 23.8 ± 4.0 kg/m². Obesity (BMI>25 kg/m²) was found in 8.8% (five participants) in 2011 and had increased to 22.8% (13 participants) in 2020. Most participants (79%) had regular menstrual cycle. Of the 17 married women, 4 (23.5%) had 1-2 children. Dividing the participants into obese and nonobese groups, the average fasting plasma glucose, lipid profiles, and testosterone levels were similar in both groups. However, the average systolic blood pressure and the serum insulin levels and HOMA-IR assessments were significantly higher in the obese group than in the nonobese group.

CONCLUSION

The former EP women had normal menstruation and reproductive function. The former EP women with average BMI at the follow-up had normal metabolic profiles while those who later became obese had significantly higher systolic blood pressure, serum insulin, and HOMA-IR assessments.