This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between maximum growth age and menarcheal age by using questionaire on the menarche and height, weight and chest-girth during 12 years. The survey was conducted September 1989. A total number of 471 girls born in 1971 was drawn from a high school in Seoul.
The major results of the study are summarized as follows:
1. An average age of menarche in 471 girls was 13.42±1.02, and mean menarcheal age by the menarcheal age group was 12.28 in Group I (menarcheal age: -12.9), 13.44 in Group II (menarcheal age : 13.0-13.9) and 14.68 in Group III (menarcheal age : + 14). The distribution of 471 girls by menarcheal age group( I , I l, Ill) was 32.795, 38.696 and 28.755, respectively.
2. In physical growth of 471 girls by menarcheal group during- 12 years (aged 7-18), the early menarcheal age group was characterized- by greater physical growth in height, weight and chestgirth than that of the late menarcheal age group.
3. The maximum growth in height, weight and chest-girth occurred approximately 0.7-2.6 years before the appearance of menarche. The maximum growth of the physique by menarcheal age group was 10.75(G I), 11.30(G 1I) and 12.03(G III) in height, 11.48, 12.25 and 12.89 in weight, . and 11.60, 12.28 and 12.77 in chest-girth respectively. The girls in the early menarcheal age group are advanced in maximum growth -age in height, weight and chest-girth.
4. During the 12 years from aged 7 to 18, the increment of the period in physical growth was 42.3cm in height, 32.6kg in weight, 26.7 in chest-girth, 15.9 in relative body weight and 9.8 in Verveack index. In the weight, relative body weight and V-index increment by menarcheal age group during this period, the early menarcheal group gained higher than that of late menarcheal group, whereas height increment in the early group was lower than that of late menarcheal age group. 5. In the interval from 7 years old to maximum growth age, the mean annual increments of girls with early menarche was greater than those of girls with late menarche in height, weight and chest-girth, on the other hand the increment showed reversed patterns in the period from maximum growth age to 18 years old.
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