Critical weight at menarche. Critique of a hypothesis
F. E. Johnston, A. F. Roche, L. M. Schell, H. Norman and B. Wettenhall
The critical weight hypothesis in relation to menarche, which is known as
the Frisch-Revelle model, has been examined. Since, in eight samples, girls
reached menarche at weights spanning a 71.4-kg (157-lb) range, Frisch and
Revelle's concept of a critical weight of 47 to 48 kg (104 to 106 lb)
cannot be applied meaningfully to individuals. Neither can the suggestion
of an invariant mean weight be accepted, because significant differences
occur among the mean menarcheal weights for several samples of normal white
girls. Finally, when stature is held constant, there is some evidence that
girls who reach menarche at younger ages are heavier than those who begin
menstruating at older ages. Apparent reductions in variability when the
estimated amount of total body water is used instead of body weight may
result from statistical artifacts associated with regression analysis.
