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Girls in India are reaching puberty earlier than before, with climate, nutrition, and education shaping when menarche—the first menstrual period—occurs.
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Researchers observed that climate, education, urbanisation and socioeconomic development all played a role in determining this important stage of adolescent growth.
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While the national trend over a 27-year period points to a modest decline, some states recorded an increase. Maharashtra, for instance, saw the average age at menarche rise.
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The study linked higher humidity to earlier menarche and higher temperatures to delayed onset, suggesting that climate affects biological development.
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Social factors were found to be equally important. The researchers noted that “educational attainment strongly influenced menarche timing.
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Notably, differences in the timing of menarche by religion, ethnicity, and urban-rural location have narrowed since the early 1990s.