European girls are entering puberty at younger ages, according to a new study from Denmark.
The study of 1,000 girls found that they began menstrual period at age 9 years and 10 months, an entire year earlier than 1991, when a similar study was conducted. Girls in the 19th century hit puberty at about age 15.
While some see this as a positive sign that nutrition has improved, others find the trend worries some, because hitting puberty early means longer exposure to estrogen, a factor in breast cancer. These girls are also at greater risk for heart disease.
"If girls mature early, they run into teenage problems at an early age, and they are more prone to diseases later on," said Dr. Anders Juul, of the Department of Growth and Reproduction at the University Hospital in Copenhagen. "We should be worried about this regardless of what we think the underlying reasons might be. It is a clear sign that something is affecting our children, whether it is junk food, environmental chemicals or a lack of physical activity."
Previous studies have identified childhood obesity as a risk factor for early puberty.
Posted By: Aspen/CRC
