Open AccessAge at natural menopause and associated factors in adult women: Findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank study in Zhejiang rural area
Author(s) -
Meng Wang,
Weiwei Gong,
Ruying Hu,
Hao Wang,
Yu Guo,
Bin Zheng,
Jun Lv,
Zhengming Chen,
Liming Li,
Min Yu
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0195658
Subject(s) - menopause , demography , medicine , menarche , underweight , odds ratio , cross sectional study , population , gerontology , body mass index , environmental health , overweight , pathology , sociology
Objectives To investigate the factors associated with age at natural menopause in a large population of Chinese adult women. Methods This cross-sectional study was part of the baseline survey of China Kadoorie Biobank in Zhejiang Province. A total of 17,076 postmenopausal women were included in the present study. Relevant data of socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary and reproductive characteristics were collected. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the associated factors of age at natural menopause with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Results The mean age at natural menopause was 48.94 years, with 3.40% of the women experienced premature menopause and 6.75% early menopause. Younger age, higher education, consumption of meat (1–3 days per week) and increased parity were associated with late menopause. Current smoking, underweight, higher physical activity, consumption of sea food (1–3 days per week), fresh eggs (≥4 days per week), fresh fruits (≥1 day per week), taking vitamins, experiencing severe food shortage, earlier age at menarche and older age at first birth were associated with earlier age at natural menopause. Conclusions These results suggest that certain factors involved with socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary and reproductive characteristics are related to the age at natural menopause in Chinese women.