A new article by Stephan Guyenet posits a new theory as to why kids are going through puberty sooner (and why my cousin – 9, not pictured – is already filled with adolescent angst). He says that while there are many theories for the decline in the age of puberty in girls and boys, the answer is really pretty simple:
Explanations abound for the decline in the age of puberty in girls and boys. Some contend it’s due to the artificial hormones in conventionally produced milk. Others attribute it to estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals in plastic and agricultural chemicals. But there’s a much simpler explanation that also happens to have some very convincing evidence behind it: we’re bigger and fatter than we used to be.
He goes onto to discuss a variety of studies that found that the more the subject ate, the sooner it began its adolescence. We think the amount you eat isn’t the entire story. It’s not only about how much but also — what. A diet consisting of whole fruits and vegetables, regardless of the amount, won’t set pubescent kids’ clocks in motion. It’s when kids eat junk, foods loaded with fat and artificial sweeteners that disrupts their natural processes.
