I’ve seen a study which found that the age of puberty (especially female puberty) is dropping rapidly. In 1860 it started around 16.8 and in 2010 it was 10.8. Why is that? Is there any explanation?
In: Biology
It’s the amount of processed foods we have nowadays. Poultry alone, it’s all loaded with growth hormones, that get ingested by humans eventually.
Both have long term problems on health when they are present for too long. My point is that obesity is ALSO bad.
But this is now a moot point because I have since realized he said “fatter” not “obese”. Fatter than malnourished is healthy. Fatter than healthy is obese. I didn’t take context into account.
The factors that go into puberty are very complex. Although the general lowering of puberty age is thought to be nutrition related, it is likely not the only thing affecting it. Genetics, certain environmental conditions, and potentially certain health issues can also impact puberty. Even today, puberty is very variable. I started my period at age 8 while my gf started hers at 15, for example.
POCS runs in my family as well as other auto immune conditions thought to influence hormone levels. Women in my family also start puberty earlier than considered normal (one cousin needed puberty blockers as she was only 5)
So, it could be the case that as a result of modern medicine, conditions that impact hormone levels are more prevalent today. As earlier in history, before we understood hormone imbalances and their impact on the body these issues may have severely impacted fertility, life expectancy, and ability to have sexual relationships (aka being thrown in an insane asylum for “hysteria” or being generally outcast due to mental health issues which are now treatable with hrt)
This is also subject to reporting rates. Both hormone imbalanceing conditions and the age of puberty were unlikely to have been under much scrutiny in earlier history. “Women’s issues” have historically been taboo and not discussed, so it’s possible we just simply didn’t know how often these conditions affected our ancestors and how that relates to modern puberty rates.
I mean in the past people were married at 12 , parents at 13 and dead mid 20s. Are we just seeing regression to the mean?
ELI5: What is the reason behind the earlier onset of puberty in modern times?
Chemicals in food and environment. It’s well known fact they make a mess of human hormones.
Obesity rates have gone up which has been shown to be a factor in early puberty in girls since girls need at least 20% body fat before they can start their periods
Fat. Everyone is fatter, younger. When the body hits a certain weight, the eggs unfreeze and periods start to come. We’re getting fatter and fatter, younger, as a society.
I think onset of puberty is related to males living in the house (as in father). If the father lives at home, onset is later.
It doesn’t they just tell you that so that you know as you develop and you get older you know you don’t feel bad if you don’t feel like puberty has come you know that they tell you it takes you know time so then you feel like you’re normal. Go you!
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