A new study has found that there is a link between childhood obesity and an earlier start to puberty. Childhood obesity is a problem all across the country, and it impacts children from various backgrounds and homes. Work has been done to see what kind of interventions can help these children, but that is not all.
Work also needs to be done to see what long-lasting impacts this can have on their health. Many may not think that obesity is linked to puberty, but the pair may be more related than parents realized, and it may just be one more reason to get children the help they need.
According to Spotlight, a new study has found that children who are obese are more likely to start puberty earlier. This study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, and it can be read in full here.
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The study found that boys and girls who develop obesity at an early age are more likely to start puberty early when compared to children who remain at an "average" weight for their height and age. This is the first study to look at a large racially and ethnically diverse group of children.
Ai Kuno was the lead researcher on the study, and she said that it has already been established that obesity can lead to early puberty in girls, but this is the first study to show that the link also appears in boys. Some may not know what the problem is with starting puberty early, but it can have a significant impact on the rest of their lives. Children who start puberty early are also more likely to suffer from depression and other mental health struggles as they age.
It has also been linked with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This means that it is important that parents are aware of this, and that they are making every attempt to control their child's weight. It also points to the fact that work needs to be done to help those who are obese due to their family's economic status.
Early puberty is defined as girls starting their period before they were 12 years old. Boys were developing pubic hair and other changes at a much earlier age. The study found that the risk was 63% greater when a child was obese, and this is a large jump that deserves to be taken seriously by parents, government, and medical professionals.
Sources: Spotlight, Oxford Academic