IPB Researchers Review the Relation of Protein and Calcium Intake with Menarche Age in Adolescents
Menarche is the first menstruation experienced by women and is one of the primary signs of puberty. Menarche usually occurs in the mid-puberty period or 6 months after the peak of growth acceleration occurs. The average age of menarche is 12.4 years old, but menarche may occur earlier, ie at 9 or 10 years old, and may also be late at 17 years old. Menarche before 12 years old, called early menarche, can affect the physical and psychological health of adolescents, such as increasing the risk of breast cancer, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease risk and hypertension.
Early menarche can be caused by several factors, such as nutritional status, genetics, food consumption patterns, hormones, social and economic. In addition, the consumption of different types of proteins, the level of protein adequacy, and the amount of protein consumed are also associated with age of menarche. The consumption of animal protein and calcium derived from milk is associated with early menarche, while consumption of vegetable protein is associated with late menarche. Adolescents with a protein adequacy level greater than or equal to 80% of Nutritional Adequacy Rate (AKG) experience early menarche than adolescents with a protein sufficiency of less than 80% of AKG.
According to the above facts, a research team from the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Ir. Lilik Kustiyah, M.Si, and Afriani Cholifah, conducted a study to determine the relationship of protein consumption, protein adequacy rate and the ratio of consumption of animal and vegetable protein with age of menarche in adolescents. The results showed that the socioeconomic characteristics of the family, such as the level of parent education, parent occupation, family income and the number of family members of the early menarche group were higher than the normal menarche group. Frequency of consuming vegetable protein and protein intake derived from plant foods of early menarche group was less than normal menarche group.
The energy adequacy level (TKE) of the early menarche group tended to be greater than the TKE of the normal menarche group. The level of protein adequacy (TKP) of the menarche group was greater than the normal one, and the level of calcium adequacy (TKCa) of the menarche group was higher than that of the normal menarche group. TKCa with sufficient category will increase the risk of early menarche than TKCa with less category. (TK)
