Puberty News and Research

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Puberty is the maturation stage a person goes through when they develop secondary sexual characteristics. Usually, puberty occurs between the ages of 8 and 12 years in girls and between 9 and 14 years in boys.

How early-life factors raise lifelong diabetes risks in youth

The surge in diabetes among young people highlights critical gaps in care and the urgent need for comprehensive preventative actions to address this crisis.

19 Jun 2025

Violence and bullying disrupt sleep for LGBTQ+ adolescents

New research in the Journal of Adolescence found that among LGBTQ+ adolescents in the United States, those who experienced more violence because of their identity or more bullying because of their gender expression had more trouble falling asleep, whereas those who experienced more familial warmth had less trouble falling asleep.

4 Jun 2025

Early teen obesity in boys may affect the health of future generations

A new study suggests that boys who become overweight in their early teens risk damaging the genes of their future children, increasing their chances of developing asthma, obesity and low lung function.

27 May 2025

MRI scans reveal why young women face higher risk for eating disorders

Advanced high-field MRI reveals distinct microstructural changes in hypothalamic subregions of young women with anorexia nervosa and obesity. These alterations may underlie increased vulnerability to eating disorders and point toward new neurobiological treatment targets.

26 May 2025

Discovery unravels two populations of gonadotrophs in the pituitary gland

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that gonadotrophs, cells in the pituitary gland with a key role in puberty and reproduction, come from two different populations, with the majority produced after birth rather than in the embryo, as previously thought.

21 May 2025

Sucralose disrupts male fertility by damaging sperm and altering hormones in animal study

Researchers found that chronic sucralose exposure in male rats disrupted reproductive hormones, damaged sperm, and impaired testicular function through oxidative stress and autophagy dysregulation. These findings raise concerns about the reproductive risks of high sucralose intake and its persistent presence in the environment.

19 May 2025

Early physical activity linked to mental health benefits in later childhood and adolescence

Physical activity in early childhood, especially taking part in organised sports,may ward off several mental health disorders in later childhood and adolescence, suggests research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

14 May 2025

Adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories during childhood linked to early cardiometabolic risk

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May) reveals that adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories (a marker for central obesity) during childhood may increase cardiometabolic and cardiovascular risk at 10 years old.

11 May 2025

New human ovaroid model offers insight into infertility and differences in sex development

A new model of tiny human ovary organoids, or ovaroids, has been developed from stem cells, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE).

11 May 2025

Early childhood growth predicts adult height but not puberty timing, study finds

Children’s growth in the first two years of life significantly influences their pubertal growth and adult height, but not when puberty begins, according to a Swedish study. Early-life height is a strong predictor of final adult stature, highlighting the critical window for developmental monitoring.

10 May 2025

Delayed puberty in boys raises risk of type 2 diabetes later in life, study shows

A large Israeli study found that boys who experience delayed puberty are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in early adulthood. This increased risk persists even after accounting for body weight, socio-economic status, and other confounding factors.

10 May 2025

Study reveals phthalate exposure harms early sexual development in children

Maternal exposure to phthalates during pregnancy is linked to shorter anogenital distance in 3-year-old boys, a marker of impaired sexual development. Girls showed similar outcomes from their own postnatal exposure, highlighting the lasting hormonal risks of environmental pollutants.

10 May 2025

Antibiotic use in infancy raises early puberty risk in girls, study finds

Girls exposed to antibiotics in the first three months of life are significantly more likely to enter puberty early, according to a large South Korean study. The risk increases with earlier exposure and a greater number of antibiotic classes, with no similar effect seen in boys.

10 May 2025

Progesterone-only contraceptive pill linked to increased asthma attacks in some women

A major study of around 260,000 women shows that taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill can increase asthma attacks in some women.

7 May 2025

ADHD and anxiety show different patterns in boys and girls

ADHD can exacerbate anxiety, and anxiety can exacerbate ADHD. Girls are particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety disorders, but researchers have recently discovered something that may help slow down – or prevent – the development of these types of disorders.

29 Apr 2025