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Study Children from disadvantaged families reach puberty earlier
Puberty is certainly a difficult time for many teenagers and their parents. The adolescents are increasingly testing their limits and this often leads to disputes and problems. Researchers have now found that children from disadvantaged households appear to enter puberty earlier. Often, sufferers in later life additionally suffer from poorer health.
Researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) found that children from disadvantaged households are more likely to enter puberty early. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Pediatrics".
All young adolescents will eventually enter puberty. At this time, the cohabitation between parents and offspring is usually more problematic. Scientists found that growing up in deprived households can lead to an earlier onset of puberty. (Image: Africa Studio / fotolia.com) More and more children are entering puberty early
If boys grew up in deprived households, they were four times more likely to enter adolescence at the age of ten or eleven. After all, girls were twice as likely to be compared to girls from normal households, explain the experts. The factors that can lead to early puberty have been increasingly discussed in recent years, as more and more children reach puberty at an earlier age than previous generations did.
What signs of early puberty are there?
Researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute examined more than 3,700 children for their study. So the experts wanted to determine whether social influences play a role in puberty. Parents of the participants were asked to observe any signs of puberty at the age of eight to nine and ten to eleven years. These include, for example, a growth spurt, the growth of pubic hair and skin changes. Breast growth also occurs in girls and menstruation sets in. In boys, the voice will grow deeper and first facial hair, the researchers say.
How much does a deprived childhood increase the likelihood of early puberty??
In the ten- and eleven-year-old participants, about 19 percent of the boys and 21 percent of the girls were classified in the group of early puberty. Boys from very disadvantaged households had a 4.2-fold increased risk of early puberty. Girls also had an increased risk of the same factors, which was about twice that of girls from normal households, explains author Professor Ying Sun..
Study results could improve the lives of many children
Our findings suggest that the time of puberty may play a role in the link between early social disadvantage and health problems in life, the expert adds. If research can improve the understanding of this link, we can potentially create new public health initiatives that can improve the health and well-being of all children for the rest of their lives, the doctors add in a press release.
Evolutionary reasons behind premature puberty in disadvantaged childhood
Early puberty could be linked to a disadvantaged childhood for evolutionary reasons. The observed effect could, given the severity (eg, economic disadvantage, harsh physical environment, absence of a father, etc.) cause children to start reproductive activities earlier. This is likely to ensure that their genes are passed on to the next generation, says author Ying Sun..
Preterm birth and overweight can also affect the onset of puberty
We now understand the triggers for the pubertal process much better, the scientists report. Disadvantaged childhood leads to early puberty due to some factors (including premature birth and obesity). It is very important to understand the impact of early puberty on the health of children and adolescents, adds the author, Professor George Patton.
Effects of premature puberty
Early maturity can lead to emotional, social and behavioral problems in girls during the so-called adolescence (last part of adolescence). These problems include, for example, depressive disorders, substance disorders, eating disorders, and precocious sexuality, explains Professor Patton.
Understanding factors for early pubertal maturation is very important
Early puberty also contributes to risks for the development of cancer in the reproductive tract and cardio-metabolic diseases later in life. Given the recent trend toward early adolescent maturation in many countries, a clearer understanding of factors that influence adolescent timing is very important, the author adds. (As)