New Research on Climate Variables and Menarche Published

Content

Claire Gold and Catherine Kitrinos, graduate students in the Department of Anthropology, have co-authored a study with Lynnette Sievert and Jason Kamilar, anthropology, focusing on how climate variables, including annual rainfall and mean temperature, relate to the first occurrence of menstruation. "Mean age at menarche and climate variables on a global scale"  examined geospatial distribution and climate variables in relation to the age at menarche for 87 modern human populations.  

"We propose that later ages at menarche in countries with high fertility may be a life-history strategy developed in response to climatic conditions that have resulted in higher immunological load. In these conditions, females may prioritize growth rather than reproduction. Shifts in climate and global population growth may change the future biological landscape of age at menarche," note the authors.