Food Choices Could Influence First Period, Research Shows
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2025 — What your child eats could play a role in when they start puberty, a new study shows.
Researchers found that girls who ate more inflammatory foods were 15% more likely to get their first period in the next month. On the other hand, a healthier diet lowered the odds by 8%. The findings were published May 6 in the journal Human Reproduction.
An early first period is more than just a milestone. It’s linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes later in life, said study author Holly Harris, an epidemiologist at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle.
“This may be an important time period for lowering risk of chronic diseases that occur in adulthood,” Harris told CNN.
The study included more than 7,500 children ages 9 to 14 from the Growing Up Today Study. Researchers looked at their diets using two indexes: one gauging how foods and nutrients predict chronic disease, and another considering how inflammatory a diet was.
"Eating a healthy diet in late childhood and early adolescence is associated with girls having a later first period compared to those consuming a less healthy diet. Importantly, this association was not explained by the impact of diet on body size,” Harris said.
When body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat based on height and weight, was factored in, the connection remained.
This means the early start wasn’t just due to obesity. Something else in an unhealthy diet might be playing a role, Wang said.
Other environmental factors, like air pollution or chemicals in personal care products, may also influence when kids start puberty. Experts recommend checking databases like SkinSafeProducts.com or Skin Deep to choose safer options.
“Our findings highlight the need for all children and adolescents to have access to healthy meal options, and the importance of school-based breakfasts and lunches being based on evidence-based guidelines,” Harris said.
Dr. Natalie Muth, a pediatrician and dietitian in San Diego, said even small changes help.
“Any change that can lower intake of things like chips, cookies, and sodas and increase intake of fruits and vegetables is a big win,” she said.
Sources
- CNN, May 6, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
Dads Help Shape Eating Habits of Their Children
MONDAY, June 2, 2025 — A dad’s eating habits can have a profound effect on their kid’s diets, even when those children are nothing but a twinkle in his eye, a...
Hormel Recalls Over 256,000 Pounds of Canned Beef Stew
FRIDAY, May 30, 2025 — Hormel Foods is recalling more than 256,000 pounds of its Dinty Moore Beef Stew amid reports that wood fragments were found in some cans, according to...
Pizza, Soup and Chicken Among Top Sources of Sodium for All Americans
THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 — These days Americans can agree on few things, but unfortunately, pizza, soup and chicken aren’t among them, a new study says. Those three...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.