Does Obesity Affect Puberty?
Researcher Paul Kaplowitz and colleagues wrote an article looking at the effect of increased body mass index (BMI) on earlier onset of puberty. They found that the BMI in pubertal 6-9 year old white girls was markedly higher than the BMI in prepubertal girls of the same age. A smaller difference was noted for African American girls. “This is not revolutionary. We have known for years that very overweight kids tend to mature earlier,” Kaplowitz says. “And we know that obesity is more of a problem in all age groups. But this provides additional evidence. And we know that kids with higher leptin levels (a hormone that appears to regulate obesity in rats) are maturing earlier.”The relationship between obesity and early puberty is not clear-cut, however. Multiple factors are likely involved in the development of precocious puberty. Studies are under way to look at these potential contributing factors.
