Age at menarche and risk of hypertension in Chinese adult women: Results from a large representative nationwide population

Abstract

Abstract This study explored the association between age at menarche and the risk of hypertension in Chinese women. A total of 234 867 women aged ≥18 years from the China Hypertension Survey were included in this study. Participants were required to complete a standard questionnaire. Blood pressure and physical examination of the participants were performed by trained medical staff. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between age at menarche and other individual characteristics. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios for hypertension by age in years at menarche. The average age at menarche in Chinese women was 14.8 years. Women who were older at menarche were more likely to have a higher body mass index, larger waist circumference, smoke, and have a primary education (p < .05). After adjustments, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for hypertension across age at menarche groups were 0.912 (0.877–0.948), 0.927 (0.893–0.963), 1.00 (reference), 1.061 (1.020–1.102), and 1.129 (1.090–1.169) for those aged ≤13, 14, 15 (reference), 16, and ≥17 years at menarche, respectively. Each 1‐year delay in menarche was associated with a 6.2% increase in the prevalence of hypertension (odds ratio, 1.062; 95% confidence interval, 1.053–1.071). The positive association between age at menarche and hypertension was evident among age at recruitment groups, BMI categories, and education levels. This association was stronger in urban women and postmenopausal women. Our findings suggest that late menarche is related to a higher risk of hypertension among Chinese adult women, and this association appeared similar among different subgroups.

Keywords

• age at menarche
• Chinese women
• hypertension