What our age at the first period reveals about us
How old were you when you first got your period? 10, 13, 16? Most of us probably do not know that anymore. A pity, because the time of the so-called menarche can give conclusions about our lifestyle, food habits and our health.
The onset of the period is influenced by many different factors - for example, hundreds of genes, reports the BBC. In the western world, the average age in the past 100 years has dropped from 17 to 13 years. This is not least because of our diet. Today, girls weigh more than they used to - their bodies would endure a pregnancy sooner. To what extent this rejuvenation is due to genetic changes (more hormones in food, environmental factors, ...), the researchers are not yet agreed.
Psychological factors also play a role
On the other hand, it has been proven that the onset of puberty often correlates with that of our mothers / grandmothers / siblings. Psychological factors also play a role: girls who receive too little attention, support and no sense of security from their parents come into puberty earlier. From an evolutionary point of view, that makes perfect sense: if you can not count on your family, your body prepares you more quickly to start your own family.
A British study of 80,000 women also linked an early first period to low birth weight, exposure to tobacco smoke, physical inactivity and obesity. An unhealthy childhood obviously causes our body to steer towards adulthood.
For girls whose first menstruation is extremely early (17 years old), another risk factor is added. In a large-scale study, the likelihood in both cases is 27 percent higher in adult life of heart disease.
And not enough. Girls who get their period before their 12th birthday are statistically 20 percent more likely to have breast cancer later. Breast cancer risk increases, according to a study by the Oxford University, even if the menopause until late. The more female sex hormones our body produces, the more susceptible it is to breast cancer. Incidentally, the timing of our menarche says nothing about the onset of menopause.
However, there is a tendency: the later the period starts with a girl, the healthier she goes through life.
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