According to government statistics, a record number of girls under the age of eight were hospitalized last year after experiencing early puberty.
Experts caution that the spike in cases is being fueled by the nation’s childhood obesity crisis, with some girls starting to mature before they even start school.
Girls are said to have reached puberty too early if their periods start or they start to develop breasts three years sooner than typical, at the age of eight.
It is well established that children who eat a high-fat diet and are not physically active mature earlier than their classmates who are leaner and more active.
According to NHS Digital, girls were admitted to hospitals on 1,510 instances last year for so-called “precocious puberty.
“From 1,322 in 2019–20 and 1,280 in 2018–19, this represents an increase of 14%.
Doctors noted 1,720 admissions for early puberty last year, including boys; 90 of these were for kids under the age of five.
Early puberty may have no apparent cause or may be brought on by obesity, brain tumors, thyroid or ovarian issues, genetic disorders, or problems with the ovaries.
According to studies, having too many fat cells might increase the production of sex hormones, which may cause early puberty.
In 2020–21, 14.4% of four and five-year-old children were obese, up from 9.9% the year before.
‘We have clearly observed a spike in children being sent to hospitals with premature puberty and this is being driven by high levels of childhood obesity,’ said Dr. Tabitha Randell, a spokesman for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Children who mature at such an early age have to learn how to manage their periods and emotional changes years before their peers, which can make life challenging for them.
She also cautioned that young adolescents who experience puberty may begin using drugs, consuming alcohol, and engaging in sexual activity at a younger age.
They are also more likely to drop out of school without receiving a diploma.
The NHS website advises parents to send their guys to a GP if they exhibit indications of puberty before the age of nine and to take their daughters to one if they do so before the age of eight.
Medication could be used to lower hormone levels and stop the development of sexual organs.