Girls who eat lots of red meat start their period at a younger age.
According to the journal Public Health Nutrition, researchers at the University of Brighton in the UK found that 45% of girls who ate 12 servings of red meat per week at the age of seven had their first menstruation at age 12. This is compared to 35% of girls who ate four servings or less.
The study looked at the diets of 3,000 12-year old girls.
Experts say eating a high meat diet prepares the body for pregnancy and thus triggers puberty at an early age.
This discovery leads researchers to believe that the diet of young girls has a direct link to the development of certain diseases in adulthood. It is still important to eat red meat in moderation because it is an excellent source of iron and zinc, essential to the body.
Study leader Dr Imogen Rogers is a senior lecturer in human nutrition at the University of Brighton. She says, "Meat is a good source of zinc and iron, requirements for which are high during pregnancy. A meat-rich diet could be seen as indicating suitable nutritional conditions for a successful pregnancy."