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Filed under: In The News, Development: Big Kids
Girls, they grow up so fast. Too fast. Credit: Getty Images
Specialists in glands and hormones have noticed an alarming increase in girls as young as 6 or 7 showing signs of puberty, according to a new study conducted through the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Centers, established in 2003 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science and the National Cancer Institute.
That means the trek to the bra store and the pressure to cover those little bumps may be mounting earlier than you anticipated. The new study reported in the journal Pediatrics found that very young girls are showing protrusions from their chests earlier than ever before, increasing their risk of breast cancer and other health problems, as well as taunts from boys, says Frank Biro, M.D., director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the study's lead author, in a release.
The study found that the proportion of girls who had breast development at ages 7 and 8, particularly among white girls, is greater than that reported from studies of girls who were born 10 to 30 years earlier, according to the release. At age 7, 10 percent of white girls, 23 percent of black girls and 15 percent of Hispanic girls had evidence of breast development.
The issue is of concern, Biro says in the release, for both medical and psychosocial reasons. Studies suggest that earlier puberty, as measured by the age a girl is at first menstruation, can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.
"What causes earlier onset of puberty isn't entirely clear at this time, but we are looking closely at several different potential factors, including genes and environmental exposures, as well as how those two may interact with each other," Biro says.
Overweight girls were more likely to have more breast development, the study shows. But Biro says he does not think weight is the whole story. He adds in the release that it is possible environmental chemicals are also playing a role, and that future research will examine girls' hormone levels and their exposure to various chemicals.
What the study means for retailers, who have come under fire for offering over-sexualized clothing to kids, remains to be seen. Last April, a survey by the Guardian.co.uk, found an array of items available in major chains, from a T-shirt for a 3-year-old bearing the slogan "Future WAG" to a top for a toddler with a pink bikini appliquéd on the front.
The Guardian's report prompted British retailer Primark to remove its line of padded bras for little girls, according to TheAge.com.
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ReaderComments (Page 5 of 5)
11-01-2010 @ 3:20PM
wuzzy1959 said...I totally agree that it is the hormones in our food. I work with children and years ago a parent was telling me that her children drink "Rice Dream" mostly. She said once in awhile her daughter would want regular milk (cows milk). When she would give it to her she would see a change in her behavior.
So when a parent tells me their daughter has been acting like a "teenager" I tell them to try and change their milk to organic and their meat if they are able to. When they do they see a difference.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:11PM
Shelley said...My daughter started getting "hair below" at age 4, chest developing at 7, period at 10. And she is not overweight. An endocrinoligst found nothing wrong, finally stating hormones in foods as culprit for the early development.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:18PM
Deb said...So as far as genetics go I would love to agree with that but my daughter is Asian and adopted. By the time she was 8 she was popping out and had to shave under her arms already, so i guess that theory isn't always true. But it's very scary for these kids as they so young yet to understand what exactly is going on. I think it really has a lot to do with hormones. And as far as the comments on the "fat girls" my daughter's entire class is thin incluing her and all the girls need to wear bras and shave, etc. So let's not start making our girls super skinny.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:37PM
Marian Norwood said...Has anyone thought that this may be due to the fact that baby formula is made so often from soy which acts like estrogen? This could be causing so many homoosexuals and early puberty in girls.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:19PM
Ann said...I too think that it is the hormones they inject into animals and that find their way into milk, dairy products, and meat, that make little girls develop early. Couple that with an abundance of food, the likes of which mankind hasn't known before, and you have little kids that are "pushed" like the animals we eat to grow bigger and faster.
One thing you can do is to switch to organic milk, dairy products, and meat. The other thing is to consume less of those products as they fuel your child's body's growth (remember, milk is intended to make a 90-lbs. calf grow into a 1200-lbs. cow in less than 2 years). I now feed my children 3-4 vegetarian dinners each week. They don't miss the meat, and they still get all the nutrients they need to grow.
I also started keeping chickens, both for meat and eggs. This way I know that the meat and eggs are from truly free-ranging chickens that didn't get pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. For those who complain about the high price of organic/free-range meat: stop buying it in stores and you will pay no more than $3.50/lb. for beef or pork. The same goes for organic produce and dairy; check online (CL is a good place to look) to find organic farmers in your area. I found one that sells his produce for only $1/lb. You can't beat that, considering how much healthier you'll be in the long run!
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11-01-2010 @ 2:30PM
milton dunn said...And you have no idea how tihs could be. FOOL dop you have any what is in the food t5hat is on nthe market now.More food is laced withfast grow ,just look at what a chicken is fed today.And
this is in all our supplies today.
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11-01-2010 @ 2:39PM
Henry said...When I was a grade -school aged kid back in the mid '60s, I never saw girls aged 7 or 8 getting breasts...But I also remember there was never any talk of hormone injected livestock either.
Why? Because it wasn't happening back then, and there also was not the trend to eat as much high fat foods.(Fast Food chains)
Also kids today have become very LAZY, they SIT al day playing with their electronic hand-held games, or at their computer chatting with friends and uploading and downloading everything disgusting or decadent.
Hormone treated foods,other environmental chemicals, and lifestyle has everything to do with early development of breasts,etc. .
But it sure is strange that this all seems to be more prevalent in obese Hispanic and Black children...maybe due to the frequency of the consumption fried high fat foods.
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11-01-2010 @ 3:13PM
Actionwriter said...K; No, No, No.----guys don't WANT boobs, least not REAL guys.
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11-01-2010 @ 4:34PM
karen boner said...I believe the reason that children are hitting puberty at an eary age is definitely cause by the chemicals that are put on our crops and the steriods that we are feeding chickens and/or livestock. Steriods make chickens grow faster so they can slaughter and lay eggs faster. This country eats an awful lot of chicken and eggs. If the chickens are on steriods, then we are consuming the same chemicals in our body. It is a chain reation. therefore, chemicals are the cause of developing at a much earlier age.
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11-30-2010 @ 5:34PM
SharonT said...There is a great deal of recent research regarding premature puberty in children that appears related to factors such as exposure to toxins in personal care products. More than 10,000 ingredients that have been banned in Europe for decades are routinely used here in the U.S. in manufacturing products we use every day. You will not believe how many of what they call The Toxic Twelve substances are in everything from baby shampoo to toothpaste, bubble bath and baby oil, not to mention deodorants, lotions and creams! You can check out the list here... http://www.toxic12.com/Toxic12.html
then compare it to the labels on the personal care products and cosmetics in your cupboards. We had to search for an answer, but now that we know there are alternatives, a LOT of bottles and jars hit the trash can in our house when we looked into this subject.
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