Impact of pubertal timing and socioeconomic status on adult height and body proportions in Igbo ethnicity

Abstract

Objectives: Age at menarche is a marker of pubertal timing that may influence adult height and body proportions. Previous studies have shown that socioeconomic status can affect age at menarche and growth patterns in different populations. This study aims to examine the associations between age at menarche, socioeconomic status, height, and leg length in a sample of Igbo ethnicity. Methods: The study used data from questionnaires and anthropometric measurements of 300 female students aged 18–25 years. Study tested the hypotheses that earlier menarche is associated with shorter stature and shorter leg length, and that these associations are modified by socioeconomic status using nonparametric analysis. Results: Mean age at menarche was fluctuating around 12.84 ± 1.40 and 13.59 ± 1.41 years with school girls and grew 3.0 cm taller per year birth cohort. The study also found that girls with earlier menarche were shorter adult height (162.51 ± 6.00) compared with girls who have menarche at a later age. The linear regression coefficients (bs) ranged from 0.37–0.49 in later year birth cohort and 0.37–0.44 in early year birth cohort for height. The effect of age at menarche on leg length was similar to the relation between age at menarche and birth cohort height. Conclusion: The study will contribute to the understanding of how pubertal timing and socioeconomic status interact to shape adult health outcomes in a transitioning population.