Delta4Embassy
Gold Member
Adults at 12? Trends in puberty and their public health consequences
"Over the past 150 years, the age of puberty onset has fallen substantially across many developed countries. Although trends are apparent in both sexes,1 the evidence in females (where biological markers are clearer) suggests that, for instance, in northern Europe the age at menarche (first menstruation) fell during the 1800s, then further reduced by up to 3 years over the last century (fig 11).).
...
Socially, however, stress is also a puberty accelerator, with familial disruption, including father absenteeism, being one of the most effective stressors, and levels of divorce as well as single‐parent families have rapidly escalated in many countries (eg, England, 2005).8,9 The sum effect of these changes has been relatively recent reductions in the age of puberty onset.7 However, these have not been matched by efforts to socially develop young people at an equally accelerated rate, leaving an increasing gap between physical puberty and social puberty (the age at which people are mentally, educationally and legally equipped to function as adults in modern societies). Here, we propose that this disparity may underpin many of the major public health challenges associated with young people today.
Puberty is a physical preparation for adulthood that, along with bodily changes, promotes interest in sexual activity,10 increases aggression in adolescents,11 encourages curiosity and can escalate risk‐taking behaviours as people compete for social status and attempt to conform to perceived peer norms.12 Increasingly, however, as social puberty lags behind physical puberty, the results can be ill‐informed health‐damaging behaviour. Thus, early sexual activity is associated with unprotected sex and, consequently, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies.13 Moreover, adolescent stresses resulting from mismatches in physical and social development may also promote substance use (including alcohol, tobacco and drug use) as ways of both self‐medicating and trying to conform to peer pressures. Further, a lack of knowledge of how to adapt to changes in physical, mental and social status may lead to self‐harm, violence and bullying.14 Attributing all recent changes in sexual health, substance use and violence to earlier puberty (on a population basis) is oversimplistic, but disregarding the role of earlier physical maturation in these major health trends is equally inappropriate."
"stress is also a puberty accelerator, with familial disruption, including father absenteeism, being one of the most effective stressors, and levels of divorce as well as single‐parent families have rapidly escalated in many countries"
Had been under the impression it was mostly diet-related, more protein. This is new info to me.
"Over the past 150 years, the age of puberty onset has fallen substantially across many developed countries. Although trends are apparent in both sexes,1 the evidence in females (where biological markers are clearer) suggests that, for instance, in northern Europe the age at menarche (first menstruation) fell during the 1800s, then further reduced by up to 3 years over the last century (fig 11).).
...
Socially, however, stress is also a puberty accelerator, with familial disruption, including father absenteeism, being one of the most effective stressors, and levels of divorce as well as single‐parent families have rapidly escalated in many countries (eg, England, 2005).8,9 The sum effect of these changes has been relatively recent reductions in the age of puberty onset.7 However, these have not been matched by efforts to socially develop young people at an equally accelerated rate, leaving an increasing gap between physical puberty and social puberty (the age at which people are mentally, educationally and legally equipped to function as adults in modern societies). Here, we propose that this disparity may underpin many of the major public health challenges associated with young people today.
Puberty is a physical preparation for adulthood that, along with bodily changes, promotes interest in sexual activity,10 increases aggression in adolescents,11 encourages curiosity and can escalate risk‐taking behaviours as people compete for social status and attempt to conform to perceived peer norms.12 Increasingly, however, as social puberty lags behind physical puberty, the results can be ill‐informed health‐damaging behaviour. Thus, early sexual activity is associated with unprotected sex and, consequently, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies.13 Moreover, adolescent stresses resulting from mismatches in physical and social development may also promote substance use (including alcohol, tobacco and drug use) as ways of both self‐medicating and trying to conform to peer pressures. Further, a lack of knowledge of how to adapt to changes in physical, mental and social status may lead to self‐harm, violence and bullying.14 Attributing all recent changes in sexual health, substance use and violence to earlier puberty (on a population basis) is oversimplistic, but disregarding the role of earlier physical maturation in these major health trends is equally inappropriate."
"stress is also a puberty accelerator, with familial disruption, including father absenteeism, being one of the most effective stressors, and levels of divorce as well as single‐parent families have rapidly escalated in many countries"
Had been under the impression it was mostly diet-related, more protein. This is new info to me.
