OBJECTIVE: Identify the relationship between macronutrient intake and age at menarche in young girls of Curitiba-PR. METHODOLOGY: A total of 400 girls divided into two groups according to the intake of saturated fat diet. Was measured height and weight, and after, calculated BMI. The age of menarche was obtained by self-report. To assess the nutritional intake of young participants, the questionnaire frequency of food consumption (FFQ) was applied. For data analysis we used descriptive statistics, Student's t test and stepwise linear regression with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed for body composition variables, only age at menarche was lower in the group of girls who consumed less than 10% of saturated fatty acids (G2). There was a higher intake of protein, total fat, cholesterol and AGSA by the group of girls who eat more than 10% of saturated fatty acids (G1). By linear regression analysis it was found that consumption of saturated fatty acids may influence age of menarche and r=0.232 and r²=0.05. CONCLUSION: Of the nutrients studied, the saturated fatty acids presented correlated with age at menarche.
menarche; adolescent nutrition; fatty acids; metabolic syndrome