Food Insecurity and Age at Menarche in Ethiopian Girls
Author Information
Author(s): Belachew Tefera, Hadley Craig, Lindstrom David, Getachew Yehenew, Duchateau Luc, Kolsteren Patrick
Primary Institution: Jimma University
Hypothesis
Does food insecurity affect the timing of menarche among adolescent girls in Southwest Ethiopia?
Conclusion
Food insecurity is associated with a delay in age at menarche by one year among girls in the study area.
Supporting Evidence
- Food insecure girls had menarche one year later than food secure peers.
- Stunted girls had menarche nearly one year later than non-stunted peers.
- The median age at menarche was 14 years for the whole sample.
Takeaway
Girls who don't have enough food tend to start their periods later than those who do have enough food.
Methodology
The study used a longitudinal survey design with a semi-parametric frailty model to analyze the effect of food insecurity on age at menarche.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in self-reported data on food insecurity and menarche.
Limitations
The study may not account for all environmental factors influencing menarche.
Participant Demographics
Adolescent girls aged around 14 years from various socio-economic backgrounds in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.019
Confidence Interval
[0.276; 0.892]
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website