Researchers have previously established that girls have been experiencing puberty earlier over the past few decades. And now, a new study, published in the journal Pediatrics, suggests that obesity is playing a role in this trend.
Experts say that girls who begin puberty earlier are at risk for lower self-esteem, higher rates of depression and lower academic achievement. Additionally, early maturation increases risks for obesity, hypertension and several cancers, including breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer.
The study, which was conducted through the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Program, established by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science, followed 1,239 girls aged 6 to 8 from 2004 to 2011.
Researchers at health centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Cincinnati and New York City examined the ages at which breast development began and the impact of body mass index (BMI) and race/ethnicity. They used criteria of "pubertal maturation," including the Tanner Breast Stages, which outlines five stages of breast development.
Lead investigator Dr. Frank Biro, a physician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, says:
"The impact of earlier maturation in girls has important clinical implications involving psychosocial and biologic outcomes."
No comments:
Post a Comment