OBJECTIVE: age of menarche, nutritional status and the pubertal development were studied in a sample of low economic level adolescents. METHODS: retrospective study, collecting data from the register charts of 229 adolescents between 10 and 18.8 years of age, attended at primary level of public institution. Were collected: chronological age, age of menarche, body weight and height (from which the body mass index was calculated), and Tanner's pubertal stage for breast development. Register charts of adolescents with pathological conditions compromising the occurrence of menarche were not taken into consideration. Two groups were formed, with and without the occurrence of menarche. RESULTS: the mean chronological age (p<0.001) and the body mass index (p<0.001) were greater in the group with menarche. The occurrence of menarche was at 12.1±1.1 years. There was significant difference between groups in relation to breast development, being the n of the group with menarche greater in M4 + M5 stages (p<0.001), and the group without menarche greater in M1 (p<0.001) and M2 (p<0.001) stages. An overweight (p<0.001) and obesity (p<0.001) relationship with the group with menarche was observed, and a relationship of undernutrition (p<0.001) and eutrophy (p<0.001) with the groups without menarche. CONCLUSIONS: an attentive follow-up of weight and height of adolescents before menarche, before the menarche period, in relatively precocious pubertal stages, is necessary to allow attitudes to prevent and control disorders such as obesity.
Adolescence; Nutritional status; Puberty; Menarche
