CHICAGO (AP) - Researchers have found signs of puberty in
American boys up to two years earlier than previously reported.
Other studies have suggested that girls, too, are entering
puberty younger. Why is this happening? Theories range from
higher levels of obesity and inactivity to chemicals in food and
water, all of which might interfere with normal hormone
production. But those are just theories, and they remain
unproven. Doctors say earlier puberty is not necessarily cause
for concern. And some experts question whether the trend is even
real. Earlier research based on 20-year-old national data also
suggested a trend toward early puberty in boys, but it was based
on less rigorous information. The new study involved testes
measurements in more than 4,000 boys. Enlargement of testes is
generally the earliest sign of puberty in boys. The study in
online in Pediatrics to coincide with the American Academy of
Pediatrics' national conference in New Orleans.