Drinking Sugary Drinks Could Be To Blame For Girls Starting Periods Early In Life
Are Sugary Drinks To Blame For Girls Starting Periods Early In Life?
PA / The Huffington Post UK
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Sugary drinks could be causing women to start their menstrual cycle prematurely, according to a new study.
The discovery is particularly important because earlier onset periods have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer later in life.
Sugary drinks are also said to be contributing to childhood obesity.
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A study of girls aged nine to 14 found that those drinking more than 1.5 sugar-sweetened beverages a day had their first period 2.7 months earlier than those consuming two a week or fewer.
US lead researcher Dr Karin Michels, from Harvard Medical School, said: "Our study adds to increasing concern about the widespread consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among children and adolescents in the USA and elsewhere.
"The main concern is about childhood obesity, but our study suggests that age of first menstruation (menarche) occurred earlier, independently of body mass index, among girls with the highest consumption of drinks sweetened with added sugar.
"These findings are important in the context of earlier puberty onset among girls, which has been observed in developed countries and for which the reason is largely unknown."
A one year reduction in age at first period is estimated to raise the risk of breast cancer by 5%.
The impact of bringing forward menarche by 2.7 months was likely to be "modest" said the scientists. But they expected some girls to be consuming more than the quantities of sugary drinks seen in the study.
Writing in the journal Human Reproduction, the researchers concluded: "The amount of SSBs consumed by girls in our highest category of consumption, more than 1.5 servings per day ... is likely low compared with consumption in certain other populations, in which we would expect an even more dramatic decrease in age at menarche.
"Most importantly, the public health significance of SSB consumption at age at menarche, and possibly breast cancer, should not be overlooked, since, unlike most other predictors of menarche, SSB consumption can be modified."
The girls included in the research were participants in the Growing Up Today study, which is following the progress of 16,875 children across the US.
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Top 10 Stupid Period Myths
MYTH: Don't exercise when you are on your period (01 of24)
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TRUTH: Run, bike, dance — do whatever you want. These are just some of the so-called "strenuous" activities you can still do while you're on your period. Unless you're in a lot of pain, feel free to exercise or partake in any other type of activity. In fact, some studies even suggest exercising can help with painful periods.
MYTH: Don't go swimming (02 of24)
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TRUTH: There was a time when young girls were told strange things like if they went swimming in the ocean, their period scents would attract sharks, or their tampon would swell with water, causing them to drown. These are pure myths. Tampons, for example, make it easier for women to enjoy swimming or beach days during periods.
MYTH: People can tell when you're on your period (03 of24)
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TRUTH: Unless you're carrying a big red sign that says "it's my time of the month," nobody will know you're on your period. If you're embarrassed about pad lines (even though you can hardly tell), try wearing a tampon. Sometimes, you may also have a period odour. Again, nobody else can smell it. If you are worried, change your tampon or pad more often.
MYTH: Teens shouldn't use tampons(04 of24)
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TRUTH: Tampons are perfectly safe for both teens and adults. If you still haven't used a tampon and you're worried about discomfort, make sure you read the instructions carefully. And no, using tampons doesn't mean you lose your virginity.
MYTH: During your period, you lose a lot of blood(05 of24)
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TRUTH: For the first few hours/days of your period, it may seem like you’re losing a lot blood. On average, women lose about 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of blood, and considering a teen who weighs 110 lbs has about 3,500 ml of blood in her body, you can see the loss isn't that big.
MYTH: A tampon can float away inside your body (06 of24)
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TRUTH: No. Just no. There is no way a tampon can "float" away inside your body. Once you insert a tampon, it will stay there until you have to take it out.
MYTH: Don't wear tampons overnight (07 of24)
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TRUTH: You CAN wear a tampon overnight. Most tampons can be worn for eight hours a day or night, keeping in mind you should change your tampon every four to eight hours.
MYTH: During your period, only sleep on your side (08 of24)
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TRUTH: Again, false. Sleep on your back, front, side, whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you're worried about leaks, try pads and tampons that are meant to be worn overnight.
TRUTH: The key to using tampons is to relax. If you don't get it right the first time, don't worry. Practice makes perfect, even when it comes to tampons.
What it sounds like: A really bad horror film about a group of teens who drive their car out into the woods and get haunted by a ghost. But what you're actually referencing: There are cramps, and yes, blood to deal with, but getting your period isn't a curse of any sort — it's part of being a woman of a certain age. Periods involve our ovaries releasing eggs, while hormonal changes prepare our uteruses for pregnancy. See ... not so scary.
(13 of24)
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What it sounds like: A really cool and urban aunt who likes to listen to hip hop and buy vinyl records But what you're actually referencing: Aunt Flo only visits once a month (a 28-day cycle to be exact). She is kind of uncomfortable, annoying and her conversations never stops flowing...
(14 of24)
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What it sounds like: Your really really really old aunt who has a kind soul. But what you're actually referencing: Similar to her sister Aunt Flo, Aunt Rose seems to be the nicer of the two: Because we all know things like rose petals and rose bushes resemble menstruation.
(15 of24)
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What it sounds like: Like you have a giant wound and you can't stop bleeding. Ever. But what you're actually referencing: You're being pretty literal here, but yes, a period means you're bleeding from your vagina.
(16 of24)
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What it sounds like: A really trendy urban cafe. But what you're actually referencing: The dot/dots that appear on your liner, pad and sometimes on your bed sheets and underwear. Also, dot = period.
(17 of24)
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What it sounds like: Not just any friend, but a really annoying friend you don't like. But what you're actually referencing: Sometimes we try to make the best of what life throws at us by staying positive and remembering our periods can be our friends.
(18 of24)
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What it sounds like: When the plumbing went wrong ... for a week. But what you're actually referencing: Again, the leak refers the constant flow of blood coming out of your body. We also assume people are referring to leaks they get on their pants or bedsheets. The worst.
(19 of24)
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What it sounds like: Time of the month sounds like a hush-hush thing that happens to your body that only you and members of a secret club understand. But what you're actually referencing: TOTM refers to time of the month when your period is taking place — just so we're all on the same page.
(20 of24)
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What it sounds like: A newsletter or a magazine that comes out once a month But what you're actually referencing: To add emphasis that everything is cool with your flow and your period only happens once a month.
(21 of24)
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What it sounds like: Teenage slang But what you're actually referencing: PMS actually stands for premenstrual syndrome, and isn't a synonym for your period at all.
(22 of24)
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What it sounds like: A dirty old cloth you use to wash your dishes and floor But what you're actually referencing: The rag is closely related to the pad or tampon we wear during periods... and how uncomfortable it is. It's also an unfortunate visual.
(23 of24)
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What it sounds like:This river in China! But what you're actually referencing: We're not sure with the obsession of words like "river," "water" or "flow" when it comes to describing your period. Our best guess? The assumption that when a woman is on her period, she is forever bleeding.
(24 of24)
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What it sounds like: It sounds like what it is, the bleeding elevator from the 'The Shining.' But what you're actually referencing: Periods are scary and women bleed and if you see/talk about this blood, something terrible will happen. Get a grip, people — the only thing frightening about periods is using phrases like "the shining" to describe it.
Questionnaires were used to ask the girls about their diets at several points in time between 1996 and 2001, and collect information about the kind of drinks they consumed.
A drink "serving" was defined as either a can or a glass. Sugary drinks included sodas, fruit drinks, lemonade and iced tea.
By the end of the five year period, all but 3% of the girls had started menstruating.
The average first period age for girls consuming the most sugary drinks was 12.8 years compared with 13 years for those drinking the least.
After adjusting the results to take account of Body Mass Index (BMI), girls drinking the most SSBs were 22% more likely to start their period in the month after being questioned about their diet than the lowest consumers.
The researchers found that artificially added sugar was chiefly responsible for their findings rather than natural sugars in drinks such as fruit juices.
Drinks with added sugar have a higher "glycaemic index" than naturally sweetened drinks, leading to rapid "spikes" of the hormone insulin.
Boosted insulin can result in higher concentrations of sex hormones, and large changes in the levels of these have been linked to periods starting earlier, said the scientists.
Commenting on the research, Dr Ken Ong, from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge University, said: "This is a very large study, which was representative across the USA, and the findings are strongly statistically significant. From previous research we know that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) intake promotes weight gain, and that weight gain promotes early puberty in girls - so a 'SSB-to-puberty' link is expected.
"The surprise here is the claim that the association is independent of childhood size - ie that there is a more direct effect of SSB on puberty. This is unexpected."