Sugary Drinks Could Be Linked to Earlier Onset of Menstruation

iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Researchers at Harvard Medical School say that sugary drinks may be linked to the earlier onset of menstruation.

According to a study published in the journal Human Reproduction, researchers surveyed girls between the ages of 9 and 14 who had not yet begun to have their periods, to calculate the amount of sugary drinks they consumed. They found that girls who drank more than 1.5 sugary drinks each day had their first periods about 2.7 months earlier, on average, than those girls who drank two or fewer sugary drinks each week.

Researchers say the results of the study held up even when accounting for other factors, such as ethnicity and BMI, which are believed to affect the onset of menstruation.

Earlier onset of menstruation has been linked to health risks including an increased lifetime risk of breast cancer.

The study shows only a link, not a cause, between consumption of sugary drinks and early menstruation. Researchers note that girls who drank more sugary drinks may also have other dietary habits contributing to the results of the study.

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