Effect of excessive gestational weight on daughters’ breast density at the end of puberty onset

Exposures to adverse conditions in utero can lead to permanent changes in the structure and function of key physiological systems in the developing fetus, increasing the risk of disease and premature aging in later postnatal life. When considering the systems that could be affected by an adverse gestational environment, the reproductive system of developing female offspring may be particularly important, as changes have the potential to alter both reproductive capacity of the first generation, as well as health of the second generation through changes in the oocyte. The aim of this review is to examine the impact of different adverse intrauterine conditions on the reproductive system of the female offspring. It focuses on the effects of exposure to maternal undernutrition, overnutrition/obesity, hypoxia, smoking, steroid excess, endocrine disrupting chemicals and pollutants during gestation and draws on data from human and animal studies to illuminate underlying mechanisms. The available data indeed indicate that adverse gestational environments alter the reproductive physiology of female offspring with consequences for future reproductive capacity. These alterations are mediated via programmed changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary gonadal axis and the structure and function of reproductive tissues, particularly the ovaries. Reproductive programming may be observed as a change in the timing of puberty onset and menopause/reproductive decline, altered menstrual/estrous cycles, polycystic ovaries and elevated risk of reproductive tissue cancers. These reproductive outcomes can affect the fertility and fecundity of the female offspring, however, further work is needed to better define the possible impact of these programmed changes on subsequent generations.

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Lower adherence to a prudent dietary pattern is associated with earlier age at menarche in adolescents from the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study

Martínez-Arroyo

Cantor

Fisberg

2023

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionEarly menarche is associated with obesity, and metabolic and mental health risks, among other diseases. Thus, it is relevant to identify modifiable risk factors of early menarche. Some nutrients and foods have been linked to pubertal timing, but how menarche relates to overall dietary patterns is unclear.MethodsThe aim of this study was to analyze the association between dietary patterns and age at menarche in a prospective cohort of Chilean girls from low and middle-income families. We conducted a survival analysis of 215 girls (median = 12.7 years, IQR = 12.2–13.2) from the Growth and Obesity Cohort Study (GOCS) who had been followed prospectively since 4 years of age (2006). Age at menarche and anthropometric measurements were recorded every 6 months since 7 years of age while diet (24-hour dietary recall) was collected for 11 years. Dietary patterns were obtained from exploratory factor analysis. Accelerated Failure Time models adjusted for potential confounding variables were used to study the association between dietary patterns and age at menarche.ResultsGirls' median age at menarche was 12.7 years. Three dietary patterns were identified: “Breakfast/Light Dinner,” “Prudent” and “Snacking” which explained 19.5% of the diet variation. Girls in the lowest tertile of the “Prudent” pattern had menarche 3 months earlier than girls in the highest tertile (β: 0.022; 95% CI: 0.003; 0.041). “Breakfast/Light Dinner” and “Snacking” patterns were not associated with age at menarche.ConclusionOur results suggest that healthier dietary patterns during puberty might be associated with menarche timing. Nevertheless, further studies are required to confirm this result and to clarify the association between diet and puberty.

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Effect of excessive gestational weight on daughters’ breast density at the end of puberty onset

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

Early Life Nutrition, Epigenetics, and Programming of Later Life

Early Life Nutrition, Epigenetics, and Programming of Later Life

Developmental programming of the female reproductive system—a review

Lower adherence to a prudent dietary pattern is associated with earlier age at menarche in adolescents from the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study

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