The present study is aimed to investigate anthropometrics and body composition characteristics in pre and post menarcheal Italian adolescent girls. A cross sectional survey was carried out with 844 girls aged 11 to 14 years old, recruited from May, 2006 to May, 2012. Height, weight, circumference (hip and waist) and skinfolds (triceps and subscapolar) were measured; BMI and waist hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Percentage of body fat mass was deduced by skinfold equations (Slaughter et al. 1988). The status quo method was used to evaluate the age at menarche. We found that menarcheal girls were taller and heavier than non menarcheal ones in all ages, and often with significant differences (p<0,05). Menarcheal girls showed also higher BMI, WHR and % body fat mass. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation (p<0,01) between weight and age at menarche at 12, 13, 14 years old. Through stepwise regression analysis it has been possible to determine the most considerable anthropometrics characteristics related to age at menarche. In our sample, weight is the most relevant, except at 11 years old where height is more linked to menarche. In conclusion, all the anthropometrics parameters are strongly influenced by age at menarche. The percentage of fat mass is higher in girls with menarche, and, as widely reported in the literature (Oh et al. 2012, Leitao et al. 2013), weight, height and consequently also BMI, are strongly correlated with age at menarche.
Relationship between anthropometrics characteristics and menarche in Italian girls aged 11-14 years old
SPIGA, FEDERICO;BRASILI, PATRICIA;TOSELLI, STEFANIA
2013
Abstract
The present study is aimed to investigate anthropometrics and body composition characteristics in pre and post menarcheal Italian adolescent girls. A cross sectional survey was carried out with 844 girls aged 11 to 14 years old, recruited from May, 2006 to May, 2012. Height, weight, circumference (hip and waist) and skinfolds (triceps and subscapolar) were measured; BMI and waist hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Percentage of body fat mass was deduced by skinfold equations (Slaughter et al. 1988). The status quo method was used to evaluate the age at menarche. We found that menarcheal girls were taller and heavier than non menarcheal ones in all ages, and often with significant differences (p<0,05). Menarcheal girls showed also higher BMI, WHR and % body fat mass. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation (p<0,01) between weight and age at menarche at 12, 13, 14 years old. Through stepwise regression analysis it has been possible to determine the most considerable anthropometrics characteristics related to age at menarche. In our sample, weight is the most relevant, except at 11 years old where height is more linked to menarche. In conclusion, all the anthropometrics parameters are strongly influenced by age at menarche. The percentage of fat mass is higher in girls with menarche, and, as widely reported in the literature (Oh et al. 2012, Leitao et al. 2013), weight, height and consequently also BMI, are strongly correlated with age at menarche.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
