BMJ 2017;356:j1161 doi: 10.1136/bmj.j1161 (Published 2017 March 06)
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Research News
RESEARCH NEWS Earlier menarche is linked to increased risk of gestational diabetes, study finds Jacqui Wise Girls who start their periods at a young age could be at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology has found.1 The researchers collected data from 4749 women with an average age of 25 who were participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. At the start of the study in 2000 the women reported the age they had started menstruation. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes was then reported by 357 women during the 12 years of follow-up.
The researchers said that, although maintaining a healthy weight is an important factor in avoiding gestational diabetes, the higher risk may be explained by hormonal changes. They called for more research to investigate the mechanisms behind this.
Women who started menstruation before age 11 had a considerably higher risk of developing gestational diabetes than those who started at 13 (relative risk 1.68 (95% confidence interval 1.23 to 2.30)). However, this association was substantially attenuated once body mass index was taken into account. Compared with women with menarche at age 13, women who had their first menstruation at 11 or younger had a 51% higher risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (1.10 to 2.07) after fully adjusting for risk factors. Gita Mishra, director of the study, said, “Research into this topic is of particular public health importance due to global trends of girls starting their menstrual cycles at a younger age. “A large proportion of women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are overweight or obese, and encouraging those with an early start of puberty to control their weight before pregnancy may help to lower their risk of gestational diabetes.”
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1
Schoenaker D, Mishra G. Association between age at menarche and gestational diabetes mellitus: the Australian longitudinal study on women’s health. Am J Epidemiol 2017;(Mar). doi:10.1093/aje/kww201.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/ permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
Research News
RESEARCH NEWS Earlier menarche is linked to increased risk of gestational diabetes, study finds Jacqui Wise Girls who start their periods at a young age could be at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology has found.1 The researchers collected data from 4749 women with an average age of 25 who were participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. At the start of the study in 2000 the women reported the age they had started menstruation. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes was then reported by 357 women during the 12 years of follow-up.
The researchers said that, although maintaining a healthy weight is an important factor in avoiding gestational diabetes, the higher risk may be explained by hormonal changes. They called for more research to investigate the mechanisms behind this.
Women who started menstruation before age 11 had a considerably higher risk of developing gestational diabetes than those who started at 13 (relative risk 1.68 (95% confidence interval 1.23 to 2.30)). However, this association was substantially attenuated once body mass index was taken into account. Compared with women with menarche at age 13, women who had their first menstruation at 11 or younger had a 51% higher risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (1.10 to 2.07) after fully adjusting for risk factors. Gita Mishra, director of the study, said, “Research into this topic is of particular public health importance due to global trends of girls starting their menstrual cycles at a younger age. “A large proportion of women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are overweight or obese, and encouraging those with an early start of puberty to control their weight before pregnancy may help to lower their risk of gestational diabetes.”
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
1
Schoenaker D, Mishra G. Association between age at menarche and gestational diabetes mellitus: the Australian longitudinal study on women’s health. Am J Epidemiol 2017;(Mar). doi:10.1093/aje/kww201.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/ permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
