The Evolution of the Age at Menarche from Prehistorical to Modern Times

“…Our results show an overall decline in mean AAM for Mexican women of 0.77 years (9.2 months) for the period 1930 to 1980 (0.15 years. per decade), in line with widely documented shifts in maturation age over the last century in response to improved living standards worldwide (Papadimitriou, 2016; Parent et al, 2003). In agreement with prior independent studies that documented younger menarcheal ages among urban (Dickinson, Castillo, Vales, & Uc, 1995; Knaul, 2001; Peña‐Gómez, 1970), nonindigenous (Wolanski et al, 1993), better nourished (Díaz de Mathman, Landa‐Rico, & Ramos‐Galván, 1968), better educated (Knaul, 2001) and higher SES Mexican women (Jacobo & Malacara, 1985; Méndez‐Estrada, Valencia, & Meléndez‐Torres, 2006), our findings highlight differences in maturation age between indigenous and nonindigenous populations (Figure 2), rural and urban dwellers (Figure 2) and socioeconomic groups (Figure 3) throughout the period of study.…”