Lighter babies face early puberty: Study
POSTED December 5, 2009 - 15:49 | POSTED BY Kangna Agarwal
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on December 5, 2009 - 16:21
On the other hand, babies who tend to gain rapid weight during first two years of birth are also likely to start puberty at an early age.
To determine the link between low birth weight and early age puberty, experts from the Research Institute of Child Nutrition in Dortmund, Germany, followed 215 boys and girls from infancy to the age of 13.
The researchers regularly measured the height and weight of all the subjects during the follow up period.
Low birth weight linked to early puberty
Analysis of the findings revealed those who weighed between 2.5kg and 3kg at birth started their puberty seven months earlier compared to their peers who were heavier at birth.
A four months early onset was observed in those who put on weight very quickly during the first two years from birth. Furthermore, adolescents who had a lower birth rate as well as gained rapid weight were also at a risk of early puberty.
It was also found that adolescent girls who gained weight quickly as a baby tend to start their periods early.
The findings remained consistent regardless of whether the babies became overweight in their adulthood.
What remains controversial is that going into puberty at an early age has been associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer and testicular cancer. It can also lead to hormonal changes that could trigger cancer development, the researchers said.
To be on the safer side, the parents should give their children a healthy start in life. This could be done by encouraging them to eat a healthy and balanced diet, indulge in regular physical activity, and maintain a healthy body weight, the researchers recommended.
More research required
Though the researchers were able to find out a link between low birth weight and early puberty, the reason behind the mechanism remained unclear. This will have to be addressed in further studies, they said.
Lead author Professor Anja Kroke said, "More studies are now needed to identify the physiological mechanisms by which a low birth weight and rapid early weight gain affect the timing of the pubertal growth spurt.
"In addition, by gaining a better understanding of why early puberty increases cancer risk, we can improve our understanding of the causes of cancer, and therefore raises the possibility of preventing future cancer cases."
Funded by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), the study appears in the December issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
