Does menarche mark a period of elevated resting metabolic rate?

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition were measured in 44 initially nonoverweight girls at three time points relative to menarche: premenarche (Tanner stage 1 or 2), menarche (+/-6 mo), and 4 yr after menarche. Mean absolute RMR was 1,167, 1,418, and 1,347 kcal/day, respectively. Absolute RMR was statistically significantly higher at menarche than at 4 yr after menarche despite statistically significantly less fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM), suggesting an elevation in RMR around the time of menarche. The pattern of change in RMR, adjusted for FFM, log transformed FM, age, race, parental overweight, and two interactions (visit by parental overweight, parental overweight by FFM), was also considered. Adjusted RMR did not differ statistically between the visits for girls with two normal-weight parents. For girls with at least one overweight parent, adjusted RMR was statistically significantly lower 4 yr after menarche than at premenarche or menarche. Thus parental overweight may influence changes that occur in RMR during adolescence in girls.