Work presented in ISAK World Conference which was held Estoril, 2010. Website: http://www.fmh.utl.pt/isak2010/

1. Menarcheal age, length dimensions and
body composition in a sample of
schoolgirls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Oliveira-Júnior, Astrogildo V.1 & Casimiro-Lopes, Gustavo1,2
1Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – Instituto de Educação Física e
Desportos – Laboratório de Atividade Física e Promoção da Saúde – Brasil
2 Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Instituto de Bioquímica Médica – Brasil
e-mail: avojr@uerj.br

2. Introduction
• Precocious menarche is commonly related with
higher risk of obesity appearance in later years
(Bratberg, Nilsen, Holmen & Vatten, 2007; van
Lenthe, Kemper & van Mechelen, 1996; Wang,
2002), a fact still not elucidated in Brazilian girls.

3. Objective
• To evaluate menarcheal age, length dimensions and
body composition in a sample of schoolgirls in Rio de
Janeiro.

4. Methods
• We evaluated 113 girls from a stratified sample of 5.643
students from a traditional Federal school in Rio de Janeiro,
which contains 13.000 students distributed in six school units.
Total body mass was measured using an anthropometric scale
with a 0.1 g precision while the stature was measured with a
stadiometer with a 0.1 mm precision.
• Sum of five skinfold thickness (5ST) was obtained by Lange
caliper in subescapular, triceps, medial calf, abdominal and
iliac crest skinfolds sites. Length dimensions (acromial,
dactiloidal, sitting, iliac and trochanteric height) were
assessed with an anthropometer.

5. Methods
• Anthropometric measures were obtain according to ISAK
(Norton et al., 1996). Percent of body fat, fat mass and lean
body mass were calculated according to Slaughter equation.
• Obesity was calculated using the sum of subescapular and
triceps (>85 percentile) as determine by Lohman (1986).
Menarcheal age (MA) was calculated by retrospective self-
report allowing us to divide girls in: Early (E, menarche <12
years, n=61); Average (A, menarche 12.1 to 13.9 years, n=52),
Late (L, menarche > 14 years, n=9) (McKay, Bailey, Mirwald,
Davison & Faulkner, 1998).

6. Results
• E group presented higher levels of 5ST when compared with A
group (+13%, p<0.05) and L group (+26%, p<0.05). The
prevalence of obesity in all groups presented were extremely
different, respectively I in groups E (90%), A (42%) and L
(11%).
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7. Results
• Interestingly all the other parameters of growth and
body composition did not show any statistical
difference between groups.

8. Discussion/Conclusion
• Our results suggest that subcutaneous fat is related with
menarche occurrence.
• Schoolgirls in E group presented higher levels of subcutaneous
adiposity, which can pose an increased risk for disease
occurrence in later life.
• Additionally, it comes into view that this group of girls need
better nutritional care and more physical activity.

9. References
Bratberg, G. H., Nilsen, T. I., Holmen, T. L., & Vatten, L. J. (2007). Early sexual
maturation, central adiposity and subsequent overweight in late adolescence. A
four-year follow-up of 1605 adolescent Norwegian boys and girls: the Young HUNT
study. BMC Public Health, 7, 54.
Lohman, T. G. (1986). Applicability of body composition techniques and constants for
children and youths. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 14, 325-357.
McKay, H. A., Bailey, D. A., Mirwald, R. L., Davison, K. S., & Faulkner, R. A. (1998). Peak
bone mineral accrual and age at menarche in adolescent girls: a 6-year
longitudinal study. Journal of Pediatrics, 133(5), 682-687.
Norton, K., Whittingham, N., Carter, L., Kerr, D. A., Gore, C., & Marfell-Jones, M.
(1996). Measurement techniques in anthropometry. Anthropometrica (pp. 25-75).
Sidney: University of New South Wales Press.
van Lenthe, F. J., Kemper, C. G., & van Mechelen, W. (1996). Rapid maturation in
adolescence results in greater obesity in adulthood: the Amsterdam Growth and
Health Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 64(1), 18-24.
Wang, Y. (2002). Is obesity associated with early sexual maturation? A comparison of
the association in American boys versus girls. Pediatrics, 110(5), 903-910.