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Childhood obesity may be linked to early puberty
12 March 2007
| Key facts |
In the UK, obese children have a 50 percent risk of obesity in adulthood |
For girls, puberty should generally start between the ages of 9-14 years |
Body mass index (BMI) is measured by dividing your weight by your height squared |
Girls who are overweight as toddlers risk an early onset of puberty. A link has been found between the early onset of puberty in 9-10 year old girls and being overweight from toddler age to the first year of school.
The US study, published in the journal Paediatrics, looked at girls from different regions and different socio-economic groups over a nine year period. Medical experts measured their body mass index (BMI), asked mothers about their daughters and used visual tests to follow the development of 354 girls.
Their measurements were taken at regular intervals starting at 36 months. This was followed up during their first year at school, then during years four and five, and finally in year six when they were between 11 and 12 years old.
The results show there is a strong link between a high BMI between the ages of 36 months and the first year of school, and those who started puberty earlier than expected. In year four, when the girls were between 9-10 years old, 13 percent were classed as overweight, of which 80 percent had an early onset of puberty. This was contrasted against only 40 percent of the girls who were of a normal weight and had an early onset of puberty. In addition, it was noted that the girls whose BMI significantly increased with age also risked early puberty.
According to the authors of the study this supports a growing consensus in the US that obesity may be causing girls to mature early. This has been associated with earlier sexual intercourse, teenage pregnancy and alcohol consumption.
In 2002 it was estimated that 22 percent of boys and 28 percent of girls, between 2-15 years old, were overweight or obese in the UK. The rise in obesity is thought to be caused by a number of factors, including poor diet and lack of physical activity. Sue Ormesher, spokeswoman for Parentline Plus said; "the earlier we can get our children into healthy eating habits the better, as obesity is now considered to be a global epidemic. Experts agree that kids eating a healthy, balanced diet should go hand in hand with them being more active."
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