Is Chemical Exposure or Obesity to Blame for Early Puberty Among U.S. Girls?

For many adolescent girls in the United States, changes associated with the onset of puberty (such as breast development and the appearance of body hair) appear to be occurring at younger-than-expected ages.

Some experts believe early puberty may be the result of exposure to certain chemicals, while others say it could be another effect of the nation’s childhood obesity problem.

Meagan Kelleher of WDAF-TV (Fox4) in Kansas City addressed the topic in a Nov. 9 article on the station’s website:

Some believe [early puberty] can be linked to chemical exposure, specifically Bisphenol-A. It's the substance known as BPA that's been in baby bottles and is still in some other plastics.

But the doctors believe earlier puberty is largely related to the growing obesity problem in kids.

"The more adipose tissue or fat cells there are in the body, the higher the circulating estrogen levels," Dr. [Daryl] Lynch said.

Those higher levels result in the female changes. Dr. Lynch said earlier puberty puts girls at higher risk of sexual abuse, teasing or bullying, mental health disorders and short stature as adults. Those are more reasons to help kids control their weight since it might help delay puberty.