Middle-class girls whose fathers do not live at home reach puberty earlier than those from a similar but more stable background, research shows.
They are more than twice as likely to start developing breasts at a younger age - some when they are only seven.
Doctors believe the distress caused by their parents' divorce upsets their hormones, triggering the earlier onset of puberty.
Researchers found that girls from higher-income families whose fathers had left home were two and a half times more likely to start puberty younger than those from stable backgrounds.
But those from poorer households whose fathers didn't live at home were not more likely to enter puberty earlier, the research found.
Experts suggest that middle class girls are more deeply affected by their parents' divorce than those from lower income backgrounds because they tend to lead more isolated lives without support from friends and family.
They often began developing breasts and bodily hair when they were nine, in some cases younger, compared to the average age of ten or 11, researchers at the University of Berkeley, California, found.
It follows recent figures showing girls are starting puberty at much younger ages, including as early as seven.
Experts have attributed this trend to higher levels of obesity changing youngsters' hormonal balance.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, monitored 440 girls aged six to eight as they developed into adolescents.
It found that those from middle class homes whose fathers were absent were 2.4 times more likely to go through puberty prematurely.
Dr Julianna Deardorff, who led the study, said: 'The age at which girls are reaching puberty has been trending downward in recent decades, but much of the attention has focused on increased body weight as the primary culprit.
'While overweight and obesity alter the timing of girls' puberty, those factors don't explain all of the variance in pubertal timing.
'The results from our study suggest that familial and contextual factors - independent of body mass index - have an important effect on girls' pubertal timing.'
They are more than twice as likely to start developing breasts at a younger age - some when they are only seven.
Doctors believe the distress caused by their parents' divorce upsets their hormones, triggering the earlier onset of puberty.
Researchers found that girls from higher-income families whose fathers had left home were two and a half times more likely to start puberty younger than those from stable backgrounds.
But those from poorer households whose fathers didn't live at home were not more likely to enter puberty earlier, the research found.
Experts suggest that middle class girls are more deeply affected by their parents' divorce than those from lower income backgrounds because they tend to lead more isolated lives without support from friends and family.
They often began developing breasts and bodily hair when they were nine, in some cases younger, compared to the average age of ten or 11, researchers at the University of Berkeley, California, found.
It follows recent figures showing girls are starting puberty at much younger ages, including as early as seven.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, monitored 440 girls aged six to eight as they developed into adolescents.
It found that those from middle class homes whose fathers were absent were 2.4 times more likely to go through puberty prematurely.
Dr Julianna Deardorff, who led the study, said: 'The age at which girls are reaching puberty has been trending downward in recent decades, but much of the attention has focused on increased body weight as the primary culprit.
'While overweight and obesity alter the timing of girls' puberty, those factors don't explain all of the variance in pubertal timing.
'The results from our study suggest that familial and contextual factors - independent of body mass index - have an important effect on girls' pubertal timing.'
No comments:
Post a Comment