Research suggests that girls are getting their first periods (menarche) earlier than ever before, especially those from minorities and lower-income backgrounds, according to a study recently published in JAMA Network Open conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Apple. The study also found that in addition to the average age of menarche decreasing in America, the average time it takes for the menstrual cycle to become regular is also increasing.
This study, published in Human Reproduction, found that girls who ate a healthy diet as a child had their first menstrual period (menarche) at an older age than those who consumed a less healthy diet. This remained unchanged by BMI or height, which are both factors that have been associated with the earlier onset of menarche.
Findings from this study may have implications for health later in life, as research suggests that women who experienced menarche at an early age may be at risk for obesity, breast cancer, and diabetes, as well as disease of the heart and blood vessels.
“I think our findings highlight the need for all children and adolescents to have access to healthy meal options, and the importance of school-based breakfasts and lunches being based on evidence-based guidelines,” said Holly Harris, MPH, ScD, an associate professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, who led the study.
“In previous work that we had conducted in the Nurses’ Health Study II, an ongoing prospective cohort, we observed a higher risk of breast cancer among people who consumed an inflammatory-promoting diet during adolescence and early adulthood. Following these results, we were interested in understanding whether earlier life dietary intake might influence breast cancer through impact on risk factors for breast cancer that occur between early life and breast cancer, such as age at menarche. This led to the current study, where we examined the impact of dietary patterns on age at menarche,” said Harris.
Investigating diet and age of menarche
This study utilized data from the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS) of more than 7,500 children between the ages of 9 and 14 years of age in two waves in 1996 and 2004, who were followed through 2001 to 2008, respectively. The data included questionnaires on dietary patterns that were completed at enrollment and every year after. Dietary patterns were rated using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP). The study investigated links between particular diets and age of menarche, as well as examining if BMI might have an effect on the association of diet and age of menarche.
The analysis revealed that 6,992 girls experienced menarche during the study. 20% of the girls with the healthiest diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains were 8% less likely to have their first period within the next month compared to the 20% with the least healthy diets. Girls eating the most inflammatory diets rich in processed meats, refined grains, and high-energy drinks were 15% more likely to experience their first period within the next month compared to those eating the least inflammatory diets.
“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. As earlier age at menarche is associated with multiple later life outcomes, including higher risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer, this may be an important period for trying to reduce the risk of these chronic diseases,” said Harris.
“As this is the first study to look at these specific dietary patterns, it is important to examine the association in other populations. It also highlights that eating a healthy diet, which we know is associated with chronic disease outcomes in later life, could also have benefits in adolescence. Generally, eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish, nuts and legumes, polyunsaturated fatty acids, while limiting intake of red and processed meats, refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages and added salt, benefits everyone regardless of age,” noted Harris.
The researchers suggest that the type of food eaten during childhood and adolescence, and its impact on inflammation, may be what is causing early menarche rather than BMI and height. Next, they hope to explore dietary patterns and body size during childhood and adolescence to examine how they relate to characteristics of adult menstrual cycles.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.eshre.eu/Press-Room/Press-releases-2025/dietary-patterns-menarch
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deaf072
Girls Are Getting Their First Periods Earlier – WorldHealth.net
