Chinese Girls Research Articles

Dietary pattern and precocious puberty risk in Chinese girls: a case-control study

BackgroundThe role of dietary intake on precocious puberty remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between the amount and frequency of dietary intake and the risk of precocious puberty in Chinese girls.MethodsIn this case-control study, we enrolled 185 precocious puberty girls and 185 age-matched controls. Their dietary intake was assessed through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Their sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected. The associations between dietary intake and risk of precocious puberty were assessed by conditional logistic regression models.ResultsAfter multivariate adjustment, consuming a higher amount of red meat was associated with higher precocious puberty risk (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.25–6.02), while a higher frequency of fruit ( P for trend = 0.024) and amount of vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of precocious puberty (P for trend = 0.002). The high vegetable and protein dietary pattern was significantly negatively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63–0.97), whereas the high animal food and fruits dietary pattern was remarkably positively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.09–1.69), after adjusting for age and body mass index.ConclusionsHigh vegetable and protein dietary pattern is a protective factor against precocious puberty, while high animal food and fruits dietary pattern is a risk factor for precocious puberty in Chinese girls. Attentions should be paid to a reasonable intake of red meat, eggs, and fruits in children’s daily diet, increase their intake of vegetables, in order to reduce the risk of precocious puberty.

YTHDF3 gene polymorphisms increase Wilms tumor risk in Chinese girls

<i>YTHDF3</i> gene polymorphisms increase Wilms tumor risk in Chinese girls

Longitudinal associations of menstrual characteristics with mental health problems among Chinese girls.

Cross-sectional studies indicate that menstrual problems are related to poorer mental health; however, longitudinal studies are limited. This longitudinal study aimed to determine whether baseline menstrual characteristics were risk factors for incident and persistent mental health problems. The study was conducted among Chinese adolescent girls. Menstrual characteristics including menarche, menstrual cycle and menstrual pain were assessed at baseline, whereas mental health problems including PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, psychotic-like experiences, non-suicidal self-injury, suicide ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt were assessed at baseline (n = 1039) and at the 1-year follow-up (n = 946) by self-administered, structured questionnaires. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to examine whether menstrual characteristics were associated with incident (e.g., PTSD at follow-up but not baseline) and persistent (e.g., PTSD at both time points) mental health problems. The results demonstrated that early menarche was related to persistence of psychotic-like experiences; irregular menstruation was associated with higher rates of incident anxiety and insomnia, and persistent depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, non-suicidal self-injury, suicide ideation, and suicide plan; menstrual pain was associated with elevated rates of incident PTSD and depression, and persistent depression, insomnia, psychotic-like experiences, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt. In conclusion, irregular menstruation and menstrual pain specifically contributed to the development of emotional problems and insomnia, and were associated with maintenance of the most mental health problems in early adolescence. The long-term effects of menstrual problems on mental health need further study.

The Discouragement of Chinese Girls in STEM Careers

The Discouragement of Chinese Girls in STEM Careers

Prospective, multi-center post-marketing surveillance cohort study to monitor the safety of the human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in Chinese girls and women aged 9 to 45 years, 2018–2020

ABSTRACT Following the approval of Cervarix for the immunization of girls and women in China against high-risk human papillomavirus types 16 and 18, a non-interventional post-authorization safety study was performed. A multi-center prospective cohort study assessed safety following Cervarix vaccination of Chinese girls and women aged 9–45 years between 31 May 2018 and 3 December 2020. Adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), potential immune-mediated diseases (pIMDs), and pregnancy-related outcomes were collected up to 12 months from the third immunization or 24 months from the first immunization, whichever came first. Among 3,013 women who received 8,839 Cervarix doses, 167 (5.5%) reported ≥ 1 any AEFI, and 22 (0.7%) reported 40 serious AEFIs. During the 30 days after each dose, 147 women (4.9%) reported 211 medically attended AEFIs, including 3 serious AEFIs reported by 1 woman (0.03%). One woman reported a pIMD. Cervarix was inadvertently administered to 65 women (2.2%) within 60 days before conception or during pregnancy. Of these women, 34 (52.3%) gave birth to live infant(s) with no apparent congenital anomalies, and 1 (1.5%) woman gave birth to a live infant with a congenital anomaly. No serious AEFIs or pIMDs were considered to be related to the vaccination. In Chinese women aged 9–45 years, immunization with the Cervarix three-dose schedule was well tolerated. Overall, no safety concerns were identified, although rare adverse events may have been missed due to the study sample size. Clinical trial registration: NCT03438006.

Teaching strategies for cultivating preschoolers’ sharing behavior based on gender roles in Chinese culture

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;Chinese boys and girls manifest distinct sharing behavior compared with children of other nationalities following different cross-national pathways. Undoubtedly, the Chinese traditional culture projects distinct expectations of female and male roles. Kindergarten teachers are responsible for delivering cultural norm knowledge to children and shaping their behaviors and beliefs. This study aims to provide an insight into how kindergarten teachers cultivate preschoolers’ sharing behavior considering the traditional gender-role culture in China. This study adopted the multiple case study approach and involved six participants working in a Chinese public provincial kindergarten in Hebei Province. The data collection techniques used comprise semi-structured interviews and document analysis. This study’s findings showed teachers develop both boys’ and girls’ sharing awareness through an other-oriented strategy. They also elicit sharing practices through benefits-oriented and habits-forming strategies. However, different treatments of boys and girls could be observed in some respects. These findings demonstrate that children’s sharing behaviors are shaped through the same strategy with a subtle gender bias. They further imply that the gender-role knowledge of Chinese kindergarten teachers impacts how they cultivate preschoolers’ sharing behavior.&lt;/span&gt;

Efficacy and safety of leuprorelin 3-month depot (11.25 mg) for idiopathic central precocious puberty treatment of Chinese girls: a single-center retrospective study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 3-month leuprorelin acetate (3-month LA, 11.25 mg) for the treatment of idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) in Chinese girls. We conducted a single-center retrospective study in China on 28 girls with ICPP who received at least one year of 3-month LA treatment. Data from anthropometry, biochemistry, bone age (BA), and pelvic ultrasonography were assessed before and every 6months during medication. At CPP diagnosis, the mean chronological age (CA) was 7.8±0.8 years, with bone age advancement (BA-CA) of 1.5±0.8 years. After treatment initiation, growth velocity decreased significantly from 8.5±1.6 cm/year to 5.8±1.1 cm/year at month 12 (p<0.001). GnRH-stimulated peak LH≤3IU/L, the primary efficacy criterion, was observed in 27 out of 28 (96.4 %) children at month 3. Basal estradiol <20 pg/mL was achieved by all 28 girls (100 %) at month 6 and remained stable at month 12. Basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) decreased from 4.1±3.5 to 1.7±0.9 (p<0.001), and basal LH was also significantly reduced from 3.3±6.5 to 0.7±0.8 (p=0.035) at month 12. The mean predicted adult height (PAH) at treatment initiation was 152.7±5.8 cm, it increased significantly to 157.5±5.5 cm (p=0.007) after one-year treatment. Pubertal development was slowed in most patients, and in some cases, it was even reversed. Only one patient (3.6 %) reported local intolerance. Three-month leuprorelin acetate is a safe and effective treatment for suppressing the pituitary-gonadal axis and restoring impaired adult height in Chinese girls.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Premenstrual Syndrome in Chinese Adolescent Girls.

Epidemiological data on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in Chinese adolescents are limited. This study reported the prevalence and associated factors of PMS in a large sample of Chinese adolescents. A total of 5099 adolescent girls who had menarche participated in the baseline survey of Shandong Adolescent Behavior and Health Cohort study in Shandong, China. A self-administered questionnaire was used to ask about PMS, age at menarche, menstrual cycle interval, menstrual flow length, menstrual regularity, period pain, body weight and height, trait anger, stressful life events, and demographics. The mean age of the sample was 15.19years (SD = 1.32). The overall prevalence of PMS was 24.6%. The prevalence rates of PMS-anxiety, PMS-water retention, PMS-craving, and PMS-depression were 18.9%, 4.0%, 7.9%, and 11.5%, respectively. The most common symptoms were premenstrual irritability (54%) and fatigue (52.5%). Stepwise logistic regression showed that high levels of life stress (OR 2.26), high levels of trait anger (OR 4.65), alcohol consumption (OR 1.28), menstrual cycle interval ≤ 24days (OR 1.45), and mild (OR 1.50), moderate (OR 2.57) or severe period pain (OR 4.84) were all significantly associated with increased likelihood of PMS. In conclusion, approximately 1 in 4 Chinese adolescent girls suffered from PMS. Multiple psychosocial and menstrual factors were associated with PMS. Further research is needed to understand developmental changes of PMS and its long-term impacts on psychosocial wellbeing in Chinese adolescent girls.

Induced abortions among Chinese adolescent girls.

Induced abortion among adolescent girls is a global public health issue and a serious challenge in China, but still remains under-examined. We aimed to examine the overall trend and characteristics of induced abortions among Chinese adolescent girls and to investigate the factors associated with induced abortion. Based on the 2017 China Fertility Survey, this study examined the trend and characteristics of induced abortions among adolescent girls with statistical analysis and multiple indicators of descriptive statistics from period and cohort perspectives, including induced abortion proportion and rate, age-specific cumulative proportion, and age-specific cumulative number of induced abortions in adolescent girls. Between 1996 and 2016, the proportion and rate of adolescent induced abortions first increased and then decreased, and the mean age at the time of induced abortions among adolescent girls declined. The cumulative proportion of women who had experienced induced abortion at the age of 15-19 in a cohort is less than 2.5% but shows an upward trend. Over 70% of all adolescent induced abortions are premarital. The proportion of women with unintended pregnancy experiences increased and is higher among rural, less educated, and ethnic minority women. Similarly, the prevalence of induced abortion is higher among adolescent girls who live in rural areas, are less educated, and come from ethnic minorities. The cumulative number of induced abortions and premarital abortions increased with later cohorts. This study shows an upward trend in adolescent-induced abortion and a decline in the age at the time of the induced abortion. Women in later birth cohort have a higher proportion of having experienced adolescent induced abortion. Adolescent girls who live in rural areas, who are less educated, or who are from ethnic minorities, are more likely to undergo induced abortions at the age of 15-19. More appropriate educational efforts and interventions are urgently needed to reduce the incidence of adolescent induced abortions.

Secular trends and urban-rural disparities in height of Chinese adolescents aged 18 years from 1985 to 2019.

To examine the secular trends and urban-rural disparities in height of Chinese adolescents aged 18 years from 1985 to 2019. Data were extracted from the Chinese National Surveys on Students' Constitution and Health from 1985 to 2019, and the heights of a total of 76 554 boys and 75 908 girls aged 18 years were measured. The Mann-Kendall trend test was used to analyze the secular trends in height. Changes in different periods and urban-rural disparities were tested by z-tests and calculating the ratios of the coefficient of variation (CV) of height. The height of Chinese boys and girls aged 18 years increased from 168.21 and 157.10 cm in 1985 to 172.15 cm and 160.11 cm in 2019, respectively, with a larger increase in rural areas. The secular trends in height were the largest for boys from 1995 to 2005 and for girls from 2014 to 2019, and the same results were observed in urban and rural areas. The urban-rural disparities for boys and girls decreased by 1.79 and 0.91 cm, respectively, with significant decreases for boys in all regions and for girls in the eastern region. The overall CVs of height increased by 0.13% and 0.25% for boys and girls, respectively, with the largest increase among rural girls. The height of Chinese adolescents aged 18 years continued to increase between 1985 and 2019. The urban-rural disparities narrowed, and inequalities within rural areas for girls increased.

The association between maternal urinary Bisphenol A levels and neurodevelopment at age 2 years in Chinese boys and girls: A prospective cohort study

The impact of maternal exposure to Bisphenol A on child cognitive development as well as its sex dimorphism remains uncertain. This study used data of 215 mothers and their children from a birth cohort in Shanghai. Urinary BPA were measured in spot urine samples of mothers at late pregnancy and children at age 2 years. Cognitive development was evaluated by Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) at age 2 years. Urinary BPA was detectable in 98.9% of mothers (geometric mean, GM: 2.6 μg/g. creatinine) and 99.8% children (GM: 3.4 μg/g. creatinine). Relative to the low and medium BPA tertiles, high tertile of maternal urinary BPA concentrations were associated with 4.8 points lower (95% CI: −8.3, −1.2) in gross motor and 3.7 points lower (95% CI: −7.4, −0.1) in problem-solving domain in girls only, with adjustment for maternal age, maternal education, pre-pregnancy BMI, passive smoking during pregnancy, parity, delivery mode, birth-weight for gestational age, child age at ASQ-3 test. This negative association remained with additional adjustment for child urinary BPA concentrations at age 2 years. No association was observed in boys. These results suggested the sex-dimorphism on the associations of maternal BPA exposure with gross motor and problem-solving domains in children at age 2 years. This study also indicated that optimal early child development should start with a healthy BPA-free “in utero” environment.

The Spy Girls and the Quest for “Forbidden” Literacy: Rural Chinese Girls’ Negotiation of “No Christmas” School Policy Through Subversive Literacy Practices

ABSTRACT This article is a critical ethnographic study that examines rural Chinese girls’ literacy practices in sanctioned and unsanctioned spaces, and their negotiations with the articulated and delivered literacy program. In particular, this study focuses on a group of 1st-grade girls, who I call the “Spy Girls,” engaged in the celebration of Christmas, and their interactions with unauthorized literacy practices or “forbidden literacy” that challenge the institutional and structural discourse in relation to gender and school policies. Using a feminist lens, I argue that although local governments have deemed celebrating Christmas to be a compromise of tradition and unpatriotic, the girls’ practices exemplified the ways they negotiate gender roles and construct literate identities through appropriating acceptable forms of literacy expression to communicate under the radar.

Reflectance confocal microscopy features of vulvar lichen sclerosus in Chinese juvenile girls.

Vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis of unknown pathogenesis, characterized by porcelain-white atrophic plaques around the vulvar and anal areas in girls. With this communication, we performed the study on 16 female girls with clinically and histologically confirmed VLS, described the main identifying characteristics of the lesions in reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and elucidated the corresponding relationship between RCM findings and histology. We recommend RCM, a noninvasive technique, as a complementary diagnostic tool for VLS.

Mapping the Expertise and Understanding of Menarche, Menstrual Hygiene, and Menstrual Health among Adolescent Ladies in Low- and Center-Profit Nations

Mapping the Expertise and Understanding of Menarche, Menstrual Hygiene, and Menstrual Health among Adolescent Ladies in Low- and Center-Profit Nations

Secular trends and spatial network effect on the height of Chinese adult adolescents from 1985 to 2019.

To understand the distribution and secular trends of Chinese adult boys and girls and investigate their spatial network effects and determinants of spatial network effects. Our study extracted data of 18-year-old boys and 17-year-old girls in China from the national students fitness and health survey reports in 1985, 2000, 2010, and 2019. A total of 89 839 participants were selected. The growth range and growth rate in each period were calculated. A neighborhood relationship network was created to share the common boundary. During the period 1985-2019, the average height of Chinese 18-year-old boys increased from 168.19 to 172.14 cm, and that of 17-year-old girls increased from 156.97 to 160.17 cm (all p trend <.05). Both boys and girls showed significant correlations in first- and second-level neighbors (all p < .05) with the most significant correlations in first-level neighbors (all p < .001). But there were no significant correlations in third-level neighbors. Height of girls and boys in each region was correlated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, urbanization rate, population density, longitude, and latitude. After controlling for factors with significance, only the initial regional height of girls in 2000 was positively correlated with first level neighborhood (p < .05). Since 1985, the heights of Chinese boys aged 18 and girls aged 17 have been increasing and the increases accelerated. Height is related to nearer neighbors. After controlling GDP per capita, urbanization rate, population density, longitude and latitude, the correlations has almost disappeared.

Negative family body talk and negative emotional eating among Chinese adolescent girls and young adult women: The role of body dissatisfaction and feminism consciousness

Negative emotional eating has been increasingly a prominent disordered eating and public health problem among young women, especially during COVID-19. Although previous studies have attempted to explain the relationship between body talk and negative emotional eating, limited studies focused on examining the potential mechanisms, especially the potential protective mechanism. Thus, the current study aimed to examine the relationship between negative family body talk (NFBT) and negative emotional eating, as well as its underlying mechanism - the mediating role of body dissatisfaction (BDIS) and the moderating role of feminism consciousness (FC). A cross-sectional study was employed among a sample of Chinese girls and young women (n = 813, Mage = 19.4 years) from a junior college in central China. Participants completed surveys assessing NFBT (Adapted Body Talk Scale), BDIS (Body Image State Scale), negative emotional eating (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire), and FC (Synthesis Subscale from Feminist Identity Composite). A moderated mediation analysis was conducted. The results showed that: (1) after controlling for age and BMI, NFBT was positively associated with negative emotional eating, and BDIS could significantly mediate this relationship (mediating effect = 0.03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.06]); (2) FC significantly moderated both the direct relationship between NFBT and negative emotional eating and the relationship between NFBT and BDIS. Specifically, these two associations were not significant for participants with higher FC (+1SD above average). This study deepens our understanding of the relationship between NFBT and negative emotional eating, as well as the protective role of FC. If future studies demonstrate causal relationships, this evidence could point to a need for programs to prevent negative emotional eating in young women by increasing their level of feminism consciousness.

Appearance Satisfaction Among Adolescent Girls in Australia, China, India, and Iran: The Role of Perceived Actual-Ideal Discrepancies in Facial and Bodily Attributes

The current study examined the associations between perceived actual-ideal discrepancies in facial and bodily attributes and adolescent girls’ appearance satisfaction and whether these relationships were moderated by the importance associated with the attributes and/or the country of the participants. A multilingual survey was completed by 900 girls aged 12–18 years old living in Australia, China, India, and Iran. Girls in India and Iran were most satisfied with their appearance followed by girls in China and Australia. Iranian girls had the highest perceived actual-ideal discrepancies in facial and bodily attributes. Chinese and Indian girls perceived their facial attributes to be more important to their overall sense of appearance than their bodily attributes, whereas Australian and Iranian girls valued them equally. Higher perceived actual-ideal facial discrepancies were related to lower appearance satisfaction only for Iranian girls and higher perceived bodily discrepancies were linked to lower appearance satisfaction only for Australian girls. The importance associated with physical attributes and/or the country of participants did not moderate the relationship between perceived discrepancies and appearance satisfaction for facial or bodily attributes. Findings underscore the critical role of cultural nuances in understanding body image among adolescent girls and determinants of appearance satisfaction.

Does Thin-Ideal Internalization Increase Adolescent Girls’ Problematic Social Media Use? The Role of Selfie-Related Behaviors and Friendship Quality

Eight percent of adolescent girls were found to be engaged in problematic social media use. Problematic social media use is associated with serious physical and mental consequences. This study aimed to explore the effects of thin-ideal internalization on problematic social media use and the role of selfie-related behaviors and friendship quality. We recruited 903 Chinese adolescent girls with an average age of 13.73 years (ranging from 11 to 16 years) recruited to complete the self-report questionnaire, which contained four measures. Results revealed a moderated mediation model. Girls who had internalized thin-ideal images were more vulnerable to social media’s addictive properties, constantly engaged in selfie-related behaviors, and developed subsequent problematic social media use. However, for adolescent girls, high friendship quality buffered against developing problematic social media use, despite selfie-related behaviors. The study provides suggestions to reduce problematic social media use among adolescents to promote their physical and mental health.

The (im)possibilities of queer girlhoods: Chinese girls negotiating queerness and filial piety

This paper examines the experiences of nine Chinese girls and young women as they explore and negotiate queer subjectivities within the constraints of patriarchal and (hetero)sexual norms surrounding girlhood and young femininity. I focus on filial piety ( xiaoshun) as a normative gendered discourse being reconfigured in changing gender, familial and other power dynamics in China. I argue that the discourse of filial piety continues to naturalise a heteronormative girlhood that will smoothly transition into young womanhood prepared to take on responsibilities of ‘getting married and having kids’. This narrative, however, is in tensions with girls and young women’s diversified expressions of sexualities. Through the participants’ own accounts of queer explorations, I demonstrate how they actively engage and reflect on these tensions with familial and filial discourses while navigating the (im)possibilities of becoming queer girls across varied socioeconomic and family backgrounds. The findings of this study offered new insights into how familism and filial piety are woven into Chinese gender and sexual politics and being constantly (re)negotiated. My conceptualisation of queer girlhoods in China shows how queer girls and young women are marginalised in and around family. In the meantime, it demonstrates the emergent strategies of queer resistance and negotiations of filial piety through delaying marriage and managing familial intimacy.

Causes and Solutions to the Current Dilemma of Chinese Youth Women's Soccer

Chinese teenage women's soccer is often overlooked in China's overall efforts to improve sports literacy and develop soccer talent. This research paper explores the reasons for why Chinese girls' soccer has not expanded in popularity. My research methods included an online survey with over 100 respondents and extensive literature review, covering Chinese sociology and studies on Chinese soccer. This paper will argue that Chinese girls soccer's development is hindered by traditional ideas in society around gender and insufficient government support. These social elements limit the popularity of amateur female soccer, and also creates unfriendly sports policies for female athletes, and slows down the development of Chinese girls' soccer. Based on the current situation and needs of change and innovation in Chinese women's soccer, this paper examines the existing problems and offers detailed solutions for improving the imbalance between men and women's soccer.