Girls are hitting puberty earlier, and it's not just awkward—it's a ticking time bomb for their health. Imagine your six-year-old developing breasts or getting her period before she even hits middle school. This isn't some isolated incident; it's a global trend. A meta-analysis of 30 studies found that from 1977 to 2013, the average age of puberty onset dropped by three months per decade. That's over a year earlier in just a few decades. What's the cause? According to the article in National Geographic, our modern world — obesity, stress, junk food, and chemicals— is pushing puberty earlier.
The latest study in JAMA Network Open looked at 71,341 U.S. girls born between 1950 and 2005 and found that the number of girls experiencing menarche before age 11 nearly doubled to 16 percent. So what's causing this? In many cases, childhood obesity. Fat cells pump out hormones like insulin and leptin, speeding up puberty.
In addition, early life adversity including socioeconomic stress and abuse messes with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, pushing the onset of puberty. The COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse. More screen time, social isolation, and junk food? It's the perfect storm for early puberty.
Then, we have endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Phthalates, bisphenols — the stuff in everyday items like plastics and cosmetics— mimic estrogen and mess with hormonal balance.
The fallout is brutal. Early puberty increases the risk for breast cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. These girls feel out of sync, get bullied, and might even engage in risky behaviors.
Previously:
• Boys might be hitting puberty earlier, too
