US Boys Puberty Starting 6mo's-2 Years Early

[juliekins]

Boys in the United States are reaching puberty some 6 months to 2 years earlier than a few decades ago, reflecting the trend in girls, according to a new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published online before print on Saturday. The study authors suggest more research should now be done to find out why this is happening.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251762.php

[tekla]

Easy, I'll save you the study - nutrition and diet.

[Elsa]

and don't forget TV, internet and almost all media.

[tekla]

and don't forget TV, internet and almost all media.

How could that affect a physical process?

[LivingInGrey]

Anyone who lives near a bunch of paper mills and water already knows that PCB's are 'rumored' to cause early development in girls.

[Joelene9]

and don't forget TV, internet and almost all media.

How could that affect a physical process?

Lighting.  It was found in the early 1900's that turning on the lights in the chicken coop all night would cause the hens to develop earlier and lay eggs 24-7.  This is the standard today with the egg producers.  Over time since, the humans started to work the night shift, the kids are saddled with more homework which need the lights on, brighter due to the availability of electricity.  Radio then TV came and the lights stayed on longer. 
  We are finding that our lit-up cities are operating 24-7 with more lighting.  This is messing with our circadian rhythms as well as the those of the animal and plant kingdoms. 
  This lighting issue is only one of the causes of earlier development.  Other environment issues are what we put in our food, pollutants, and the most important, our evolving social culture to accomodate the 24-7 lifestyle. 

  Joelene

[TheAetherealMeadow]

I keep hearing all these studies about how kids are reaching puberty earlier than before, and then there's me, who didn't start puberty until age 19.

[harmonic_dissonance]

Totally didn't know that about lighting, Joelene!  Very interesting.

Puberty at 19?  Geesh, and I thought I was late hitting mine at 16!  That had to have been startling.

[tekla]

This follows trends were American girls start to menstruation much sooner than girls in other parts of the world.  Currently About 15% of American girls now begin puberty by age 7.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/wellness/story/2011/04/Girls-hit-puberty-earlier-than-ever-and-doctors-arent-sure-why/45989054/1

[Kelly J. P.]

I started my puberty at seven.

I wonder if that makes me an American girl?

*checks contents of undergarments*

Sadface.

[onerous]

What I was taught at uni was that the reason is due to increase in average weight, apparently a critical weight has to be reached to trigger puberty, and this is now happening earlier..