Now a new major concern has been raised due to the increased early puberty in girls. Also, you need to understand that puberty is a natural phenomenon and not an issue. But what’s the actual cause behind this early puberty trend? Have you ever imagined that food on your plate could remain the primary cause behind this? Let’s dive into this log to know the intricate relationship between nutrition and early puberty in girls.
What is puberty in girls?
Puberty is one of the natural processes that underlines the sudden shift from childhood to adulthood. Typically, it begins between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and is marked by the development of breasts, growth spurts, and menstruation. Further, the common signs and stages of puberty in girls include:
- Breast budding
- Pubic hair growth
- Menstruation
What is early puberty?
Early puberty is also referred to as precocious puberty, which occurs before the age of 8. This is not just about physical changes, but also greatly impacts mental health, which exerts challenges on both girls and their families. Even studies also highlighted that the onset of puberty has declined in the last few decades, which triggers the need for research about nutritional and environmental exposures in early puberty.
How does nutrition influence growth and development?
The best way to fuel the child’s growth is by offering them proper nutrition. A healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins aids hormonal growth and overall health. The vital nutrients required for healthy growth include:
- Proteins: Builds tissues and muscles
- Vitamins & Calcium: Vital for bone health
- Iron: Supports energy and metabolism
Also, when your daughter is experiencing the signs of early puberty take her to the pediatric endocrinology hospital in Coimbatore to offer her the best treatments.
Why are girls hitting puberty too early?
A combination of factors that contribute to the early onset of puberty include lifestyle, environmental influences, and nutrition. High-calorie diets that are rich in fats and sugar will result in childhood obesity, which will lead to estrogen production, a hormone that triggers puberty. Processed foods and meats have artificial hormones that will also disturb the natural hormone balance.
Further, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) present in plastics, pesticides, and personal care products will mimic estrogen, increasing the early onset of puberty. Stress and psychological factors like dynamics or early-life trauma, will further impact hormone regulation.
Moreover, limited physical activity and an extended period of sitting will disturb metabolic processes, resulting in hormonal imbalances. Further, genetic predisposition plays a significant role, as family history will impact pubertal timing.
How should I prepare my daughter for puberty?
Preparing your daughter for puberty involves open communication, education, and emotional support. Initiate an honest and age-appropriate conversation about the emotional and physical changes she may experience, like the development of breasts, menstruation, and mood swings. Help your daughter in normalizing these hormonal changes during puberty to feel more confident rather than embarrassed.
Encourage questions and try to answer those questions honestly to build trust. Teach them the proper hygiene practices such as managing menstrual hygiene. Emphasize the significance of a healthy diet, daily exercise, and self-care to aid her physical and emotional well-being. Also, ensure to make her feel safe and supported by celebrating this new stage in life, let your daughter embrace puberty with confidence and positivity.
What’s the connection between diet and hormonal fluctuations?
Simply, the foods we consume will greatly impact our hormonal balance. Diets with high sugars, fats, and additives will impact hormonal functions and highly trigger early puberty. While binge nutrition intake will accelerate puberty, also undernutrition will delay your puberty. So, girls who are lacking nutrients will typically experience delayed growth and development of hormones.
Further, let’s see what are the foods to avoid early puberty.
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Foods and beverages with high-fat content:
There are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat, however, all other macronutrients contain 6 calories, so which easily adds high calories to a child’s diet, and eventually, the child will gain more weight. Typically, this weight will be in the form of body fat. A hormone called leptin is produced from body fat, which plays a huge role in the early onset of puberty. Leptin acts in the hypothalamus which triggers the GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) production, which is one of the crucial hormones in initiating puberty. Simply, diets with high fat will result in more body fat and leptin levels, which will result in beginning periods in early periods of life.
Diets with high levels of saturated fats will cause more insulin resistance. More insulin levels will result in the production of more estrogen from the ovaries, this hormone plays a significant role in the early onset of periods. The diet also disturbs the composition of the gut microbiomes. This in turn will trigger the sex hormone metabolisms. Even the modifications in gut microbiome triggered by fat in diets play a huge role in the onset of puberty.
Few gut bacteria will influence the production of neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine. This will trigger the central nervous system and will have downstream effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, the significant system required for the development of puberty.
You can effectively address these triggers through healthier diets, active lifestyles, and reducing exposure to harmful chemicals can assist in managing early puberty and support balanced development in young girls.
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Sugary foods and beverages:
Similar to foods with high fat, foods with high sugar will lead to gaining more weight, and trigger the early onset of puberty. Notably, insulin resistance is stimulated by a binge consumption of carbohydrates along with sugar is the primary reason for the production of insulin. The more you consume sugar, your body will need the same level of insulin to regulate the blood sugars. Consistently, if your body is challenged with sugar, over time it will become resistant to insulin. In the end, this insulin resistance will trigger the early onset of puberty.
Binge sugar intake and excess fat remain the main causes of early puberty, and also it will cause inflammation which will impair the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function, which regulates puberty. Further, inflammatory mediators like cytokines will disturb the activity of the axis. Persistent inflammation remains a source of physiological stress. As a result, adrenal glands will produce more adrenal androgens, so the greater number of androgens might contribute to the beginning of periods in the early times of life.
Further, studies have suggested that in your diet the ratio of sugar to protein will influence the timing of puberty, especially in girls. Simply, foods with high sugar content and low protein will increase the chances of early puberty.
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Foods and drinks packed with plastics:
Simply, numerous chemicals will be present in the plastics that will influence the early onset of puberty. BPA (bisphenol A) is a chemical compound commonly present in plastic products like water bottles, and food storage containers. There are more chances for leaching out this chemical compound into the products, particularly when they are heated or in contact with fatty foods. Once after swallowing these, BPA will become an estrogen mimic. Estrogen too plays a pivotal role in puberty, this BPA exposure will disturb the puberty timing.
Further, phthalates are the next group of chemicals that make it hard to break the plastics. This can be found in different toys, lubricating oils, detergents, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics like nail polish, shampoos, and hair sprays. Certain phthalates will affect your endocrine system by alleviating the sex hormones, which is significant for the growth and functioning of the reproductive system.
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Consuming foods that are grown using pesticides and chemicals:
Most of the time, livestock are unavoidably exposed to chemicals for different reasons. Further, feeds will be contaminated with substances that possess endocrine-disturbing potential. Simply, the amount of pesticides present will be linked with early puberty to a lesser or greater degree.
When consistently eating foods grown with chemicals and pesticides, will create more health risks over time, like the early onset of puberty. These substances are used to save crops from pests, but residues will remain the same on vegetables, fruits, and grains even after washing. As mentioned above, prolonged exposure to these chemicals will cause hormone imbalances like starting periods in the early stages of life, neurological problems, and in rare cases it can lead to cancers.
Completely peeling and washing vegetables and fruits will reduce the exposure. With organic farming, you can avoid synthetic chemicals, which remain the finest alternative. Following a diet rich in antioxidants and fiber can assist in detoxification. Prioritizing cleaning, and choosing chemical-free foods, helps in maintaining long-term health and well-being.
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Using non-stick pans to cook food:
Typically, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will be coated in the non-stick pans. PFAS is one of the man-made chemicals, that has been used for decades in different applications, like the production of non-stick cookware, and stain-resistant fabrics. PFAS will significantly disturb the endocrine system. The endocrine system plays a huge role in hormone regulation in the body, further, it controls different functions including metabolism, growth, and reproduction. If anything disturbs the endocrine system, it will affect the puberty timings.
One of the major concerns about PFAS is that they will present in the environment for a long time and eventually will get accumulated in the human body. Even if a low level of exposure occurs consistently, it will build significant chemicals in the body. Further, the contaminated foods and water are also the source of PFAS. If you are worried, check whether the water you’re drinking is contaminated or not. At the same time, be mindful of the packed foods, because some will contain PFAS, and try limiting the usage of PFAS-containing products.
What are the other factors that contribute to the early onset of puberty?
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Obesity:
Overweight will result in increased estrogen production, pushing your body into puberty sooner than expected. Nowadays, childhood obesity has skyrocketed, which makes it a crucial area to focus on.
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Environmental factors:
Endocrine chemicals mimic hormones and affect natural growth and development. As mentioned above, plastics and pesticides are common culprits found in food packaging.
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Psychological effects of early puberty:
Girls who have attained early puberty will experience some level of psychological and emotional stress. They will struggle with body image, peer pressure, and self-esteem.
What are the preventive measures to avoid this early onset of puberty?
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Changes in diet:
One of the finest ways to prevent the early onset of puberty is following a healthy diet. Focus on eating more amount of lean proteins, whole foods, and fruits and vegetables.
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Lifestyle changes:
Exercising daily and stress management techniques can assist in regulating hormones and support overall well-being.
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Role of parents and caregivers:
Only parents can plant healthy eating habits from the early periods of life. Teaching them about the significance of nutrition builds lifelong healthy behaviors.
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Consulting healthcare providers:
If your child is experiencing the early signs of puberty, it is crucial to reach out to the hormone doctor in Coimbatore to make her feel comfortable and safe, and help her to overcome this with proper treatment and care.
Important takeaway:
In conclusion, we can say that nutrition often takes center stage when it comes to puberty. Right from high-fat diets to environmental chemicals, numerous factors influence this process. Promoting healthy eating habits and lifestyle modifications can help support balanced growth and development.
