Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Red Meat Intake May Advance Onset Of Girls' Periods

The Canadian Press, 10 Mar, 2016 12:04 PM
    Offering new insight into how dietary habits affect the onset of menstrual cycles in girls, researchers have found that frequent consumption of red meat may lead to early onset of puberty which is associated with risks of breast cancer, heart disease, obesity and Type-2 diabetes.
     
    Girls who eat red meat often start their periods on average five months earlier than those who do not, the findings showed.
     
    Conversely, girls who consume fatty fish like tuna and sardines more than once a week have their first menstrual cycle, or menarche, significantly later than those who eat it once a month or less, the study said.
     
    "It is significant because few dietary factors are known to affect the timing of puberty. This finding may also contribute to explain why red meat intake early in life is related to increased risk of breast cancer later in life," study first author Erica Jansen from University of Michigan in the US said in an official statament.
     
    For the study, the researchers measured the usual diet of 456 girls five-to-12 years old in Bogota, Colombia, before they had started menstruating. 
     
    The girls were then followed for just under six years. During this time, they were asked whether they had their first period. 
     
    Red meat consumed by the girls ranged from less than four times a week to twice a day. 
     
    The girls who ate the most red meat started their periods at a median age of 12 years three months, whereas those who ate it less frequently started at 12 years 8 months. 
     
    Those who ate fatty fish most frequently began at 12 years six months.
     
    Five months may not sound like a lot but it is a significant number when talking about a population study, the researchers said.
     
    "It is an important difference because it is associated with the risk of disease later in life," Jansen noted. 

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Canadian Blood Services To Defer Donations From Travellers To Zika-Endemic Areas

    Canadian Blood Services will soon refuse blood donations from those who have travelled to countries where the mosquito-borne Zika virus has become widespread.

    Canadian Blood Services To Defer Donations From Travellers To Zika-Endemic Areas

    Lose Fat, Gain Muscles With Diet And Exercise

    The study has established that it is possible to achieve both -- muscles and lose fat quickly and at the same time, the researchers, from the McMaster University in Ontatrio, Canada, said.

    Lose Fat, Gain Muscles With Diet And Exercise

    5 Things To Know About The Mosquito Villain In Zika Outbreaks

    5 Things To Know About The Mosquito Villain In Zika Outbreaks
    NEW YORK — Behind the tropical disease outbreaks that have exploded in Latin America is a tiny menace that just won't go away.

    5 Things To Know About The Mosquito Villain In Zika Outbreaks

    Research begins into possibility of a vaccine for Zika virus

    Research begins into possibility of a vaccine for Zika virus
    WASHINGTON — The U.S. government is beginning research into a possible vaccine for the mosquito-borne Zika virus that is suspected of causing an unusual birth defect as it spreads in Latin America.

    Research begins into possibility of a vaccine for Zika virus

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist
    The American Heart Association (AHA) has for the first time issued a scientific statement on female heart attacks, underscoring knowledge gaps and outlining the priority steps needed to better understand and treat heart disease in women.

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America
    The mosquito-borne Zika virus usually causes a mild illness but is now suspected in an unusual birth defect and possibly other health issues. Some things to know:

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America