Girls around the world are entering puberty earlier than in previous generations.
Research shows that girls today start puberty more than a year earlier on average than girls born in the ending of 1900s.
But this isn’t just a harmless shift.
According to medical experts like Professor Anders Juul from Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, early puberty can increase the risk of serious health problems later in life.
Diseases such as breast cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and type 2 diabetes are among the potential long-term risks.
Now, a new study from the University of Washington offers a possible clue to why this is happening – and what might delay it.
A hidden pattern
Researchers tracked 7,530 girls between the ages of 9 and 14, monitoring when they got their first period.
There was a clear link between a specific factor in their lives and the timing of puberty.
The research, published in Human Reproduction, showed that girls who ate a healthy diet got their first period later than those with a less healthy diet.
The researchers defined a healthy diet as one rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fatty fish, and polyunsaturated fats.
In contrast, an unhealthy diet was characterized by red and processed meat, salt, and trans fats.
According to Holly Harris, one of the researchers behind the study, there is good reason to believe that diet during childhood and early adolescence plays a significant role.
What parents should know
While the study offers strong evidence of a correlation, researchers emphasize that this is likely just one piece of a larger puzzle.
Environmental factors such as hormone-disrupting chemicals, plastic exposure, and even societal changes may also be at play.
But the message is clear: something is influencing girls’ development earlier than nature may have intended.
This article is based on information from Illustreret Videnskab.