Study finds earlier periods ‘linked to type 2 diabetes’

The research was carried out by Tulane University in Louisiana 

Girls who start their periods at a younger age could have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life, a study suggests.

Girls who start their periods at a younger age could have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life, according to new research. The study found that those who started their menstrual cycle at the youngest ages appeared to be at highest risk.

The exact mechanisms behind the link are not known but researchers have suggested it could be to do with higher levels of oestrogen – the main female sex hormone – found among those who start their periods earlier.