This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Over the past decades, onset of menarche has shifted to an earlier age in girls. Since an early age at menarche is linked to increased breast cancer risk, it is relevant to identify factors that predict puberty onset. Moreover, mammary gland development marks a time of heightened susceptibility of breast cells to environmental influences. We propose to investigate the impact of dietary exposures in utero and early childhood on the onset of mammary gland development and possible interactions with genetic predisposition. We propose to conduct a detailed prospective investigation of predictors of mammary gland development and onset of menarche in a sample of 450 girls ages 6-8 years at baseline, selected from the Boston cohort of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project (NCPP). This current study is a pilot study to test the feasibility of the clinical recruitment plan for the main study. The goals of this pilot study are to determine whether or not girls from the NCPP will agree to participate and will successfully complete the baseline evaluation.
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