Research

Energy balance

Early menarche is associated with an increased risk of NAFLD in adulthood, primarily driven by excess adiposity rather than estrogen activation itself.

Women who start their periods early should be vigilant about weight management. Although early estrogen exposure is generally protective, it is often linked to higher body fat later in life, which cancels out that protection and increases the risk of fatty liver disease.

ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
it has been suggested that early menarche may confer an increased risk of NAFLD in adulthood, excess adiposity being the primary culprit of this association.
Stefano Ballestri et al. · Advances in Therapy · 2017

Why this rating

The paper states 'it has been suggested', indicating this is a finding from specific studies rather than a universal consensus, and it is mediated by obesity.

Source

NAFLD as a Sexual Dimorphic Disease: Role of Gender and Reproductive Status in the Development and Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Inherent Cardiovascular Risk

Stefano Ballestri et al. · Advances in Therapy · 2017

DOI 10.1007/s12325-017-0556-1

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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