Researchers have found that the average age of girls who first menstruate decreases gradually.
In girls who consume more carbonated beverages, menstruation occurs earlier, according to a new study. It can also increase the risk of developing breast cancer later in life.
Based on observations by American researchers, it is found that the average age of girls who first menstruate is declining.
The results of previous studies show that in overweight girls , menstruation begins earlier. The relationship between carbonated beverages and the onset of menstruation has not been the subject of much research.
Researchers from the School of Medicine and the School of Public Health in Harvard, USA, observed how the consumption of carbonated beverages affects girls between 9 and 14 years of age. They were observed from 1996 to 2001.
Data from the study were provided by another long-term national study in the United States, which involved nearly 17,000 adolescents. None of the participants started menstruating at the beginning of the study.
The girls periodically fill out questionnaires in which they provide information about their habits related to eating, drinking, physical activity , and the onset of menstruation.
The data analysis found that girls who consumed more than one and a half carbonated beverages a day began menstruating about 2.7 months earlier than those who consumed less than two such beverages a day.
After considering side effects that may be relevant to the onset of this process in women, the researchers concluded that among girls who consume carbonated sugary drinks , menstruation begins several months earlier than usual.
The survey data were published in the journal Human Reproduction .