Iwona Wronka

Menarcheal age and socio-economic factors in Poland.

Background: Menarcheal age is the most important measure of sexual maturation in girls and a sensitive indicator of environmental conditions during childhood. Objective: The study analysed the association between age at menarche and socio-economic characteristics (urbanization, population size, education of parents and number of children in the family). Subjects and methods: Questionnaire data were collected from 3271 female schoolchildren born between 1981 and 1984, living in three provinces of southern Poland. Menarcheal age was estimated by the recall method and based on the date of menarche given by the study participants. ANCOVA and multiple regression analyses were applied to test statistical significance of differences between groups. Results: Girls from families with high socio-economic status experience menarche at an earlier age than girls from families with lower socio-economic status. However, depending on the geographical region and the population size, other factors influence menarcheal age. In the Krakow province, factors that significantly differentiate age at menarche are urbanization, fathers education and number of children in the family; in the Opole province, these factors include urbanization and number of children in the family, while in the Nowy Sacz province, number of children in the family is significant. Conclusions: Socio-economic differences are greater in a large urban city (Krakow), and affect variation in age at menarche. However, within smaller populations (Opole, Nowy Sacz) living in towns and villages, the difference in age at menarche is less visible. In addition, variation between areas reveals a lower age at menarche in urban as compared with non-urban areas. Résumé. Arrière plan: L’âge aux premières règles est une mesure importante de la maturation sexuelle des filles ainsi qu’un indicateur sensible des conditions du milieu au cours de l’enfance. Objectif: Cette étude analyse l’association entre âge aux premières règles et facteurs socio-économiques (urbanisation, taille de la population, éducation parentale et nombre d’enfants dans la famille). Sujets et méthodes: Des données par questionnaire ont été rassemblées sur 3271 écoliers habitant dans trois provinces du sud de la Pologne, nés entre 1981 et 1984. L’âge aux premières règles a été estimé par la méthode de mémorisation. Des analyses de régression multiple et de covariance (ANCOVA) ont été effectuées afin d’évaluer la signification statistique des différences entre groupes. Résultats: Les filles de familles à statut socio-économique élevé sont plus précoces que celles de statut socio-économique défavorable, mais suivant la région et la dimension de la population, d’autres facteurs influencent l’âge aux premières règles. Dans la province de Cracovie, l’urbanisation, l’éducation du père et le nombre d’enfants dans la famille jouent un rôle significatif. Dans la province d’Opole, ce sont l’urbanisation, l’éducation du père et le nombre d’enfants dans la famille qui interviennent, alors que dans la province de Nowi Sacz, est significatif le nombre d’enfants dans la famille. Conclusions: Les différences socio-économiques sont plus significatives dans une grande ville (Cracovie), alors que dans les ensembles populationnels plus restreints (Opole, Nowy Sacz), elles sont de moindre importance. Par ailleurs, la variation entre régions révèle un âge aux premières règles plus précoce chez les filles urbaines que chez les rurales. Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Das Menarchealter ist das wichtigste Maß für die sexuelle Reife bei Mädchen und ein empfindlicher Indikator für Umweltbedingungen während der Kindheit. Ziel: Die Studie analysierte die Beziehung zwischen Menarchealter und sozio-ökonomischen Kennzeichen (Urbanisation, Populationsgröße, Schulbildung der Eltern und Anzahl der Kinder pro Familie). Probanden und Methoden: Mittels Fragebögen wurden Daten von 3271 Schülerinnen, geboren zwischen 1981 und 1984, aus drei Provinzen Südpolens erhoben. Das Menarchealter wurde retrospektiv erfragt und basiert auf Angaben zur Menarche von den Studienteilnehmerinnen. Es wurden ANCOVA und multiple Regressionsanalysen verwendet, um Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen auf statistische Signifikanz zu testen. Ergebnisse: Mädchen aus Familien der oberen sozio-ökonomischen Schicht menstruieren früher als Mädchen aus Familien niederer sozio-ökonomischer Schichten. Je nach geographischer Region und Populationsgröße gibt es jedoch noch weitere Faktoren, die das Menarchealter beeinflussten. Faktoren, die in der Provinz Krakau signifikanten Einfluss auf das Menarchealter zeigen, sind Urbanisationsgrad, Schulbildung des Vaters und Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie; in der Provinz Oppeln beinhalten diese Faktoren den Urbanisationsgrad und die Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie, während in der Provinz Novy Sacz nur die Anzahl der Kinder in der Familie Signifikanzniveau erreichen. Zusammenfassung: Sozio-ökonomische Unterschiede sind in einer Großstadt (Krakau) größer und nehmen Einfluss auf die Variation des Menarchealters. In den weniger umfangreichen Populationen (Oppeln, Novy Sacz) aus kleineren Städten und Dörfern ist dagegen der Unterschied im Menarchealter weniger offensichtlich. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Variation zwischen Regionen, dass das Menarchealter in städtischen Gegenden niedriger ist als in ländlichen. Resumen. Antecedentes: La edad de menarquia es la medida más importante de la maduración sexual en chicas y un sensible indicador de las condiciones ambientales durante la infancia. Objetivo: El estudio analizó la asociación entre la edad de menarquia y características socioeconómicas (urbanización, tamaño poblacional, educación de los padres y número de hijos en la familia). Sujetos y métodos: Los datos del cuestionario se recogieron en 3271 niñas escolares nacidas entre 1981 y 1984, que residían en tres provincias del sur de Polonia. La edad de menarquia se estimó por el método retrospectivo y se basó en la fecha de menarquia proporcionada por las participantes en el estudio. Se aplicaron los análisis ANCOVA y de regresión múltiple para comprobar la significación estadística de las diferencias entre grupos. Resultados: Las chicas de familias con un nivel socioeconómico elevado experimentan la menarquia a una edad más temprana que las de familias con un nivel socioeconómico bajo. Sin embargo, dependiendo de la región geográfica y del tamaño poblacional, existen otros factores que influyen sobre la edad de menarquia. En la provincia de Cracovia, los factores que producen diferencias significativas en la edad de menarquia son la urbanización, la educación del padre y el número de hijos en la familia; en la provincia de Opole, estos factores incluyen la urbanización y el número de hijos de la familia, mientras que en la provincia de Nowy Sacz, es significativo el número de hijos por familia. Conclusiones: Las diferencias socioeconómicas son mayores en una gran urbe (Cracovia) y afectan a la variación en la edad de menarquia. Sin embargo, dentro de poblaciones más pequeñas (Opole, Nowy Sacz), viviendo en pueblos y aldeas, la diferencia en la edad de menarquia es menos evidente. Además, la variación entre áreas revela una menor edad de menarquia en el medio urbano comparado con las áreas no urbanas.

Association between BMI and age at menarche in girls from different socio-economic groups

OBJECTIVE The study examines whether the differences in both average BMI values and the prevalence of the underweight, overweight and obesity between girls with early, average and late age at menarche depend on the socio-economic status. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The data were obtained from 2694 female students aged 15-18 years. Height and weight were measured and used to calculate BMI. The girls were divided into three groups in terms of their socio-economic status. Each girl was also classified as early, on time or late maturing based on the age at menarche. RESULTS The inverse correlation between BMI values and age at menarche was observed. In groups of the same socio-economic status the highest BMI value was always observed in girls with early age at menarche and the lowest in those with late age at menarche. The maturation rate had also statistically significant effect on the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity. The early maturing girls presented a lower prevalence of underweight and higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than average and late maturing girls. This relationship was evident for both the entire sample material and in socio-economic groups. CONCLUSION The relationship between BMI and age at menarche occurs regardless of socio-economic status.

Socioeconomic determinants of underweight and overweight in female Polish students in 2009.

THE AIM to determine whether socio-economic status has an effect on the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in young women. METHODS The sample included 1129 female students aged 20-24 years from the south of Poland. BMI was calculated from measured weight/height and SES was assessed based on information received from surveyed women. RESULTS 11.1% of the surveyed students were classified as underweight, 6.5 % as overweight and 0.5 % were obese. The risk of underweight increased together with the increasing level of parents education, it was also higher among women who prior to studying had lived in a town/city rather than in a village. In the case of a self-rated financial situation, a negative relationship was observed. For students who rated their situation as very good or good, the risk of underweight was lower than in students who evaluated their situation as average or below average. No significant relationship between the socioeconomic factors and the risk of overweight was found. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the prevalence of thinness was higher than the prevalence of overweight and obesity, especially in students from high status families.

Effect of Socio-Economic Status on Quality of Life in People Affected with Respiratory Allergy

In the present study we investigated the impact of respiratory allergy on quality of life in young people, and examined whether socio-economic status modifies the above dependence. The study was conducted in 458 female and 363 male university students, aged 18-25. Information on socio-economic status (SES) was collected using a questionnaire. The occurrence of allergy was determined on the basis of answers to the questions whether the allergy and specific allergens were medically diagnosed. Quality of life (QoL) was based on the Polish version of the SF-36 test. Respiratory allergy or respiratory and food allergy were declared by 19.2 % of women and 19.0 % of men. The prevalence of allergy was higher in students with high SES. The students suffering from allergy obtained lower scores in all domains of QoL, but the differences were statistically insignificant. However, the overall test result in allergic students was significantly lower than that in non-allergic students. Differences QoL were significantly associated with socio-economic variables. In persons with low SES, the differences in QoL between those suffering from allergy and those who did not have allergy were larger than in persons with high SES. The results indicate that the course of allergic diseases is highly dependent on socio-economic status. The prevalence of allergy among students of low status is lower than among those of high status. However, allergy to a greater extent impairs the quality of life of students with low than high SES.

Nutritional habits of female university students in relation to selfperception of body

Summary Study aim: To determine whether the self-assessment of body mass has an impact on the nutritional behaviour of young women. Material and methods: The material was gathered in cross-sectional research of 1129 female university students. The measurements of body height, body mass, and waist and hip circumference were taken. Each person completed a questionnaire concerned the nutritional habits, recreational physical activity, and self-perception of body mass. In this work, only the data of 925 students with BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 were included. Results: Of the participants, 2.8% of the students assessed their body mass as too low, 75.4% as correct, and 21.8% as too high. Students assessing their body mass as too low featured the lowest values of BMI and waist circumference, whereas those with a body mass assessment of too high featured the highest values of BMI. Those students with a body mass assessment as too high followed a diet and skipped meals far more frequently, consumed breads and sweets far less frequently, and drank more liquids daily than students who assessed their body mass as correct. No differences were found in the frequency of recreational physical activity in relation to self-perception of body mass. Conclusions: BMI values above population average, even if they fit within the norm, are regarded by the students as too high. The self-assessment of body mass as too high results in undertaking efforts aimed at reducing body mass.

Influence of Socioeconomic and Anthropometric Factors on Respiratory Function in Female University Students

The purpose of this study was to evaluate lung function in healthy young female university students and to seek the relation of lung function to socioeconomic and anthropometric indices. The methodology consisted of spirometry tests, anthropometric measures and a questionnaire conducted in November of 2015 among 152 female university students. At first, lung function was analyzed for any relationship with socioeconomic factors and smoking. The results of a multi-factor analysis of variance demonstrate significant differences in the FEV1/FVC ratio depending on the general socioeconomic status. Then, anthropometric and spirometric parameters were tested for correlations. A comparison of underweight, normal weigh, overweight, and obese subjects revealed statistically significant differences for FVC% and FEV1/FVC, with the highest values noted in the subjects of normal weight. Individuals with abdominal obesity had lower FVC% and FEV1% and a higher FEV1/FVC ratio. The findings of our study confirm that both general obesity and abdominal obesity are related to a reduced lung function.

Season of birth influences the timing of first menstruation.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the month of birth influences the maturation rate of Polish females from two birth cohorts, namely 1982–1984 and 1992–1994. It was also verified whether socioeconomic status (SES) is capable of altering the above relationship.

Association of Allergic Rhinitis in Female University Students with Socio-economic Factors and Markers of Estrogens Levels

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of allergic rhinitis in female university students with socio-economic factors and sex-hormone markers, including age at menarche, menstrual disorders, and selected anthropometrics indexes. The research was conducted among 640 female university students, aged 19-25 years. The measurements of body height, body mass, waist and hip circumference were taken. Each person completed a questionnaire. The occurrence of allergy was determined on the basis of answers to the questions whether the allergy and its allergens were defined on the basis of medical workup. We found that a significantly larger number of cases of allergic rhinitis were recorded in the university students coming from families of high socio-economic level than those from lower level. Allergic rhinitis also was more frequent in the students who spent their childhood in cities than in those who lived in the countryside. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was inversely correlated to the number of siblings. There were no differences in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in relation to the birth order. The estrogen level seemed unassociated with rhinitis. However, there were slightly more allergic among females with an earlier age of menarche.

Association of primary dysmenorrhea with anthropometrical and socio‐economic factors in Polish university students

To examine the prevalence and factors correlated with primary dysmenorrhea in young female subjects.

Association of Estrogen-Related Traits with Allergic Rhinitis

Estrogens role in allergic diseases has recently been of considerable interest. The present article seeks to determine the relationship between estrogen-dependent traits and allergic rhinitis. The following traits were considered: digit ratio, age at menarche, regularity of menstrual cycles, and the waist to hip ratio. The study consisted of surveys and measurement data collected from 768 female university undergraduates. One hundred and sixty eight undergraduates (21.9%) had been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. The results of logistic regression show that in women with a high digit ratio, indicating exposure to a higher estrogen level in the prenatal period, the risk of allergic rhinitis was almost twice as high as that in those with an average value of the ratio. The difference in the digit ratio was greater for the right than left hand. A significantly higher risk of allergic rhinitis was also observed in women who experienced first menstruation at a younger age. No differences in risk of allergic rhinitis were noted due to general obesity, abdominal obesity, or irregularity of menstrual cycles. We conclude that a higher digit ratio is suggestive of a propensity to allergies in adulthood plausibly having to do with greater exposure to estrogen at early stages of ontogenetic development.