Возраст менархе у девушек Беларуси в XXI веке

Abstract

Introduction. The age at menarche is the time of onset of a woman's reproductive period, the most commonly used indicator of puberty, both to assess secular trend and to identify the impact of certain factors on growth and development. The aim of the study was to trace the dynamics of the age at menarche in Belarusian girls surveyed in the 21st century, to assess the effect of certain factors (categories of Body mass index and parents’ education) on this variable. Material and methods. The data obtained in the period from 2002 to 2021 for 871 female students aged 16–25, born in 1980–2004, were used. The mean age at menarche was determined by a retrospective method. The method of R. Martin for distribution of girls according to the terms of menarche was used. Body height and weight was measured, Body mass index was calculated. Descriptive statistics data, Linear regression analysis and One Way ANOVA were used. Results. Time variability (from the end of the 20th century to the present) of the mean values of age at menarche was characterized by a shift towards its decrease in female students born in the first half of the 2000s, compared with girls born in the 1980s. Such dynamics, together with the increase in cases of early menarche, indicates a continuation of the trend, noted from the second half of the 19th and throughout the 20th centuries, to a decrease in the age of puberty in Belarusian girls. In the distribution of menarche terms of girls born in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, those who marked it at 12–14 years prevailed. The proportion of girls with early menarche (up to 11 years) significantly increased during the considered period of time, with late menarche (15 years and older) – decreased. The age at menarche was associated with categories of Body mass index in youthful age: earlier menarche was noted in overweight girls (along with obesity). Father’s and mother’s education were not significant factors for the puberty of female students. Perhaps this is due to the peculiarities of the sample formation (student group), similar socio-economic conditions for the growth and development of girls. Conclusion. In Belarus in the 21st century, the trend towards a decrease in the timing of girls’ puberty has been preserved, which may be due to a complex of factors, including environmental ones.