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Menarcheal status and bone development in Guatemalan girls
Author(s) -
Himes John H.,
Huang Zhiping
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of human biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.559
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1520-6300
pISSN - 1042-0533
DOI - 10.1002/ajhb.1310050502
Subject(s) - bone development , demography , geography , medicine , sociology
Premenarcheal and postmenarcheal girls of the same chronological ages (11.5–15.5 years) and from the same villages in Guatemala differ significantly in patterns and mean levels of several measures of bone development. Stature, metacarpal dimensions, bone mineral content and bone mineral density from single photon absorptiometry, and total alkaline phosphatase activity are significantly associated with menarcheal status. Controlling for chronological age, there is significant variation in bone development associated with variation in menarcheal status. Unequivocal presentation and analyses of bone development in adolescent girls require that menarcheal status or another adequate measure of maturation be considered. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.