NBCNEWS
Black children of low socioeconomic status are starting their periods earlier than the average age, and it takes more time for their menstrual cycles to become regular, according to a new report.
In a study published Wednesday, researchers with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Apple Women’s Health Study found that the United States’ younger generations are experiencing their first menstrual period — called “menarche” — before the average age of 12. This is especially the case for racial minorities and children living in a lower socioeconomic status, the researchers found.
The research looked at more than 71,000 people born between 1950 and 2005 and found that, as time passed, all groups were experiencing their first periods at younger ages. But this trend was strongest among Black, Asian and other nonwhite ethnicities and those of low socioeconomic status.
The racial disparities in puberty in general are well documented. Though children across races are beginning puberty at younger ages, research has shown that Black girls are more than twice as likely as white girls to start puberty early. Today, puberty begins between ages 8 and 13, on average, but some Black girls are seeing the onset as early as 5 years old. This is called precocious puberty, which is rare and affects 1% or less of the country’s population, the National Institutes of Health noted.
The new research is among the first to examine the first period in the context of race and socioeconomic status, and it is among the first to explore menstrual cycle regularity.
“This is important because early menarche and irregular periods can signal physical and psychosocial problems later in life, and these trends may contribute to the increase in adverse health outcomes and disparities in the U.S.,” said Zifan Wang, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral research fellow.
“We also observed that a part of the trend towards earlier menarche could possibly be explained by high body mass index during childhood,” Wang continued. “This implies that childhood obesity, which has been increasing in the U.S., might be contributing to people getting their periods earlier.”
Early menstruation has been linked to cardiovascular diseases and cancers, while entering puberty early in general has been linked to depression and anxiety, and it may increase the likelihood of developing eating disorders and even stunt children’s growth.
Wang said that because early menarche can lead to several adverse health outcomes, it’s important that young people go through early counseling, are educated about menstrual health and have individualized health care plans.
READ THE FULL STORY IN NBCNEWS
