Prepubertal Growth Trajectory and Pubertal Onset

Is cumulative exposure to adiposity before puberty associated with pubertal onset?In this cohort study that included 2 birth cohorts of 4459 children, high-level or increasing prepubertal growth trajectories and greater cumulative exposure to adiposity were associated with earlier and higher risk of pubertal onset. Ages 3 to 4 years were identified as the potential sensitive period for rapid growth associated with early pubertal timing.These findings suggest that children with greater cumulative exposure to adiposity before puberty may need to be monitored for earlier pubertal onset, with particular attention to the critical window of ages 3 to 4 years.

Corresponding Authors: Bin Dong, PhD, Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing 100191, China (bindong@bjmu.edu.cn); Xijie Wang, PhD, School of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China (xijie_wang@126.com).

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