{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Temporal trend of age at menarche in Korean females born between 1927 and 2004: a population-based study.
{Author}: Lee DH;Kim J;Kim HY;
{Journal}: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
{Volume}: 15
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024
{Factor}: 6.055
{DOI}: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1399984
{Abstract}: <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The age at menarche has decreased worldwide. Previous studies on Korean adolescents have reported a downward trend in age at menarche. This study aimed to investigate the current trends in age at menarche among Korean adolescents using nationally representative data.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2021. A total of 50,730 females born between 1927 and 2004 with information on age at menarche were included. The trend in age at menarche was analyzed according to 15 birth-year groups (with 5-year intervals) using quantile regression analysis.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The mean age at menarche decreased from 16.92 ± 0.06 years for females born before 1935 to 12.45 ± 0.04 years for females born between 2000 and 2004 (p <.001). According to the percentile group of age at menarche, mean menarche age decreased by -0.071 years per year (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.072 to -0.070) in total, -0.050 years per year (95% CI, -0.052 to -0.048) in the 3rd percentile group, -0.088 years per year (95% CI, -0.091 to -0.085) in the 97th percentile group (p <.001 for all). A decreasing trend of age at menarche was more prominent in the obesity group (-0.080 years per year, 95% CI, -0.082 to -0.078) compared to the non-obesity group (-0.069 years per year, 95% CI, -0.071 to -0.068) (p <.001 for both).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Ongoing downward trend in age at menarche was observed in Korean females born until 2004, decreasing by 0.71 years per decade. The downward trend was faster in individuals with a higher percentile of age at menarche and in those with obesity.