Research reveals girls with healthier diets tend to get their first periods later

A healthy diet always translates to a healthy life. As long as one can remember, this concept has been etched in stone.

But a new study says otherwise.

A recent study has drawn a surprising link between dietary habits and the age at which girls experience their first menstruation. What did the study reveal?


Read on to know more.


What does the study say?

The study has revealed that those who maintain healthier eating patterns are more likely to start their periods at a later age.

Girls usually enter puberty anytime between the ages of 8 and 13, with menstruation occurring approximately two years after the onset of breast development. However, initiating puberty and menstruating at a younger age has been associated with a range of long-term health complications, such as an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and breast cancer later in life.


To find out the relationship between diet and the timing of menstruation, researchers conducted a detailed study involving over 7,500 children aged 9 to 14. The study meticulously tracked participants’ dietary intake alongside the onset of their first menstrual periods.

The findings were published in the esteemed journal Human Reproduction.


What are the findings?

The researchers discovered that girls who kept up with the healthiest dietary practices were 16% less likely to begin menstruating early compared to those who had the least nutritious diets. Conversely, the girls who consumed a higher quantity of inflammatory foods, such as processed snacks and sugary beverages, were found to be 15% more likely to start their periods earlier than average.

Strange, right?


More interestingly, as per Holly Harris, the lead author of the study and an associate professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in the United States, the results of the study held up regardless of the girls’ height or body weight, “demonstrating the importance of a healthy diet regardless of body size.”


The conclusion:

Although the result of the study somewhat raises eyebrows in the case of adhering to nutritious diets and the consequences of the same, caution has been advised regarding the interpretation of these findings.

Dr. Imogen Roger, a research fellow at Brighton & Sussex Medical School who was not part of the study, warned about the possibility of “reverse causation.” She noted that many participants reported their diet close to the time of menarche, suggesting that the onset of puberty may influence dietary choices rather than the other way around.

Roger explained to Euronews, “There is evidence that diet quality tends to decline from childhood into adolescence, indicating that the timing of puberty could be shaping dietary habits.”



Moving ahead:

To fully understand the connections between dietary practices and menstrual timing, further research is necessary.

However, Harris asserted the importance of these findings, particularly given the established health risks associated with earlier menstruation. She emphasized the need for ensuring that children have access to nutritious food options during this crucial developmental stage, advocating for evidence-based nutritional guidelines in school meal programs.

The findings underscore the significance of cultivating healthy eating habits in children and adolescents, which could play a vital role in their overall health journey as they transition into adulthood.