Rural-urban variations in age at menarche, adult height, leg-length and abdominal adiposity in black South African women in transitioning South Africa

Said-Mohamed, Rihlat (author)

Prioreschi, Alessandra (author)

Nyati, Lukhanyo H. (author)

van Heerden, Alastair (author)

Munthali, Richard J. (author)

Kahn, Kathleen (author): Umeå universitet,Epidemiologi och global hälsa,MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Parktown, South Africa; INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana

Tollman, Stephen M. (author): Umeå universitet,Epidemiologi och global hälsa,MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Parktown, South Africa; INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana

Gomez-Olive, Francesc Xavier (author)

Houle, Brian (author)

Dunger, David B. (author)

Norris, Shane A. (author)

(creator_code:org_t)

2018-03-20
2018
English.
In: Annals of Human Biology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0301-4460 .- 1464-5033. ; 45:2, s. 123-132

Related links:: https://europepmc.or...; show more...; https://urn.kb.se/re...; https://doi.org/10.1...; show less...

Abstract Subject headings

Background: The pre-pubertal socioeconomic environment may be an important determinant of age at menarche, adult height, body proportions and adiposity: traits closely linked to adolescent and adult health.Aims: This study explored differences in age at menarche, adult height, relative leg-length and waist circumference between rural and urban black South African young adult women, who are at different stages of the nutrition and epidemiologic transitions.Subjects and methods: We compared 18-23 year-old black South African women, 482 urban-dwelling from Soweto and 509 from the rural Mpumalanga province. Age at menarche, obstetric history and household socio-demographic and economic information were recorded using interview-administered questionnaires. Height, sitting-height, hip and waist circumference were measured using standardised techniques.Results: Urban and rural black South African women differed in their age at menarche (at ages 12.7 and 14.5 years, respectively). In urban women, a one-year increase in age at menarche was associated with a 0.65 cm and 0.16% increase in height and relative leg-length ratio, respectively. In both settings, earlier age at menarche and shorter relative leg-length were independently associated with an increase in waist circumference.Conclusions: In black South African women, the earlier onset of puberty, and consequently an earlier growth cessation process, may lead to central fat mass accumulation in adulthood.

By the author/editor: Said-Mohamed, Ri ...; Prioreschi, Ales ...; Nyati, Lukhanyo ...; van Heerden, Ala ...; Munthali, Richar ...; Kahn, Kathleen; show more...; Tollman, Stephen ...; Gomez-Olive, Fra ...; Houle, Brian; Dunger, David B.; Norris, Shane A.; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Public Health Gl ...

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