Stress And Obesity Triggering Early Puberty In Girls

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Endocrinology;  Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 07 Feb 2006 - 15:00 PDT

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One of the reasons girls may be reaching puberty earlier could be stress - plus unhealthy lifestyle and unstable family environment, say researchers from Bristol, UK.

Girls in the UK are reaching puberty one and a half years before their mothers did and two years before their grandmothers did. Onset of puberty in the UK now starts when a girl is ten years and three months old. It seems that this trend (puberty starting earlier) is still advancing.

The researchers found that over 15% of girls are reaching puberty before they are eight years old.

There may be a link between the production of leptin and early puberty, say experts. Leptin is produced by fat tissue. As girls in the UK are heavier than they used to be, they are also carrying more fat - this means they are producing more leptin.

The study focussed on families where the girl is aged 16-20, mother 40-50 and grandmother 65-75.

Dr. Sigman and his team found that girls eat more sweets (candy) and junk foods than her mothers or grandmothers. They also found that girls today eat much less fruit and vegetables than their predecessors. Girls today are less physically active.

Dr. Sigman said that physical inactivity plus poor diet was creating a population of fat girls.

Stress Linked to Early Puberty

The researchers also found that a stressful home-life made it more likely that a girl would experience early puberty. It seems that girls who live with a stepfather are more likely to enter puberty earlier than girls who live with their biological fathers.

Early puberty comes with many risks

The researchers found that girls who entered puberty earlier were less able to control impulses. Even though the body has matured early, the brain has not. This may explain the rise in early teenage pregnancies in the UK.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
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