Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Age at mena rche and prevention of hypertension through lifestyle in young Chinese adult 
women: result from Project ELEFANT  
 
Version: 0 Date: 27 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Solomon Gebrehiwot  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
PlBMWH -D-18-00339  
Reviewer report  
Name of reviewer: Solomon Weldemariam  
Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript entitled: Age at menarche and 
prevention of hypertension through lifestyle in young Chinese adult women: result from Project 
ELEFANT.  
Direction  
My recommendation is linked with the manuscript using page and line number.  
 
General:  The punc tuation, spelling, capitalization, abbreviations and overall grammar are well 
written however there is wrong use of punctuation. For example, the full stop is punctuated 
before citation of the reference in many parts of the manuscript for example, line 140 , 163, 167, 
203, 288, 295, 297…..   
 
Title: the tile is informative and attractive to readers to read the manuscript in -depth.  
 
Abstract: The abstract is acceptable but  
Background:  
1. Abbreviation of words not recommended at first use so please see Lines  94 and 
page5, CVD  
2. The background is good but it lacks detail in stating the problem and it also lacks 
where the gap is? Because in Line 91 -94, page number 5 you stated that Early and 
late menarche age are known to be risk factors for many cardiovascul ar diseases so 
what is your justification to conduct this study?  
 
Methodology part:  
1.  
2. Within methods, the subheading studies design and the content under it not matching. 
Because the content talks about the sampling process and eligibility criteria.  It does 
not tell what type of design you used in this study. Either you have to describe the 
design as cross sectional or cohort or you have to level the subheading as sampling 
process.  
3. Make it clear about the participants and the inclusion criteria. For example, it is not 
mentioned the age limitation included(the minimum age included in your study)   
4. A statement under the subheading Ascertainment of clinical measurements; from line 
159-162 is not clear. You mentioned that Hypertension was classified by physicians, 
do you meant that diagnosed by physicians? Because if it is classification, it is to 
mean mild, moderate or severe. Again how did you consider hypertension related to 
pregnancy induced hypertension if you were included pregnant women in your study?  
5. Line 165 what do you mean by PRC  
6. Under statistical analysis what was your cut off poin t for significance of association? 
Did you perform bivariate analysis? Make it clear.  
7. What do you mean by SAS line 205?  
8. How did you measure alcohol intake, and smoking to classify as having or no?   
Results:  
1. Result part is well described  
Discussi on:  
1. The discussion part is well written but if possible you have to support with literatures 
conducted before elsewhere.  
2. Acknowledgement part;  why you did not acknowledge at least  participants of this 
study?      
 
ease include all comments for the  authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. Please only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please ov erwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any  stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial com peting interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests' below.  
 
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