Early periods not linked to obesity

Girls who reach puberty early do not have an increased likelihood of becoming overweight or obese in adulthood. Rather, overweight girls tend to get their periods early and they are likely to continue to be heavy as adults. The timing of puberty is a consequence of childhood overweight, not a cause. The following study stresses on the importance of not letting children become overweight. The focus should be on annual weight screening, clinical management if overweight, and prevention for children of healthy weight and those at risk of being overweight. Researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, did a study of physical growth and sexual maturation with 448 women to examine the influence of early weight and onset of puberty on the subsequent weight. It was found that the age at first menstruation (i.e., menarche) weakly correlated with prior body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight in relation to height, and with adult BMI. Girls who were overweight before menarche were nearly eight times more likely to be overweight as adults. Early menarche by itself was not a significant predictor of adult overweight. Weight control is far more likely to be successful for moderately overweight children than those who become severely obese. A child doesn't become severely overweight overnight - early intervention is, hence, extremely important.