Verification in regard to delayed menarche in female athletes

美国曾提出过女运动员月经初潮延迟的假说，但尚未得到证实。因此，可以认为，可以通过比较女性运动员和非运动员的初潮年龄与MPV（小波插值法得出的青春期峰值时的最大峰值流速年龄）之间的差异，通过检查得出初潮延迟的验证。本研究采用小波插值法（WIM）识别出了以MPV年龄作为物理成熟率指标的年龄，通过月经初潮年龄与月经初潮年龄差值的检验，验证了女运动员与对照组月经初潮延迟的可能性。对参加全国级比赛的144名东海地区女子大学一年级女运动员的健康检查记录进行了分析研究对象为1985年至1987年至1996年至1998年的国小一年级至高中三年级运动员。身高和体重的纵向数据来自健康检查记录。采用问卷调查的方法对这些资料中月经初潮年龄进行研究。对照组为非运动员，采用与运动员组相似的研究方法，选取78名女性非运动员。运动员组身高MPV与初潮年龄之差为1.62岁（SD=1.25），对照组为1.08岁（SD=0.74）。两组比较有显著性差异（P<0.01）。这一发现为运动训练可能导致月经初潮延迟提供了证据。

The hypothesis in regard to delayed menarche in female athletes has been constructed in U.S.A, however, has been not verified yet. Therefore, it would be considered that the verification of delayed menarche can be derived from examination based on comparison between female athletes and nonathletes in regard to the difference between the age at menarche and MPV (Maximum Peak Velocity Age at adolescent peak derived from wavelet interpolation method). In this study, the age at MPV as the index of physical maturity rate was identified by the wavelet interpolation method (WIM), so the delayed menarche in female athletes and control groups is verified based on examination of the difference between the age at menarche and MPV.Health examination records of 144 female athletes of first grade of women university in Tokai erea which participated in the national level competition were researched from the first grade of elementary school until the third grade of high school (from 1985〜1987 to 1996〜1998) as athletes groups. The longitudinal data of height and weight were obtained from the health examination records. The age at menarche in these data were researched by questionaires. The control group as non-athletes was researched as similar to the athletes group, and 78 female non-athletes were picked up. The difference between the age at MPV of height and at menarche in athletes group was 1.62 years (SD=1.25) and was 1.08 years (SD=0.74) in control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). This finding provides evidence that athletic training may cause delay in menarche.