Association Between Age at Menarche and Cardiovascular Disease Among African American Women in the Jackson Heart Study
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: During the past century, the age of menarche (onset of the first menstrual cycle) has dropped worldwide, with a decline of 2 or 3 months every 10 years in the United States. The adverse health effects of this change are just starting to be understood. Little is known about how the age of menarche affects the future health of African American women. Our objective was to examine the association between early menarche and cardiovascular disease in African American women. METHODS: The study sample included 2397 African American women in the Jackson Heart Study (64% of the total original cohort). We examined the association of early menarche (at age
Fields of Study & Subjects
Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
Menstrual Health and Disorders
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Public Health Reports
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Volume
- 141
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 580–587
- Publication date
- 18 January 2026
- Language
- EN