"Puberty Hits Girls As Young As 7"

Girls are hitting puberty at younger and younger ages.  This is a steady trend over (at least) the past 50+ years.  Scientists have not pinpointed a single source but most of them have either been dietary or environmental.  The ramifications of early puberty can be very severe to a woman's life.  Studies show that there is a higher occurrence of breast cancer in women who are exposed to estrogen for longer periods of their lives (also can be linked to birth control use).  Girls also experience psychological issues when they hit puberty earlier.  As they have "a child’s mind in a woman’s body,"they are unprepared for the new emotions and new reactions from friends and strangers (source).  This can result in depression, low self esteem, eating disorders, and even cause suicide.

Possible dietary causes of early puberty include hormones found in milk and meat products and chemicals with estrogen-like qualities in soy and other foods.  Being overweight has also been linked with early puberty as body fat produces more estrogen.  Additionally, there are hundreds of chemicals used in our day to day products as well as industrially of which we do not know the effects, including materials used in hospitals!  Many of these can interfere with baby and young children's delicate hormone system.

This post especially goes out to the moms and dads (present and future).  Take care of your bodies and your children's bodies with fresh, nutrient rich, organic (if possible) whole foods and natural home products.  You are responsible for those bundles of joy. Cherish and nourish them.

Here are some articles about this growing issue:


Early puberty for girls is raising health concerns

By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY

American girls are hitting puberty earlier than ever — a change that puts them at higher risk for behavioral problems as adolescents and breast cancer as adults, a new study shows.

About 15% of 1,239 girls studied showed the beginnings of breast development at age 7, according to an article in today's Pediatrics. One in 10 white girls, twice as many as in a 1997 study, showed breast growth by that age, as did 23% of black girls and 15% of Hispanic girls.

The median age of breast development fell from 10.9 years in 1991 to 9.9 in 2006, according to a Danish study published in Pediatrics last year.

The new study doesn't explain why girls are developing earlier, but it did find heavier girls with a higher body-mass index were more likely than others to begin puberty early, says pediatrician Frank Biro, director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

A third of children are now overweight, and the early puberty trend could be related to the obesity epidemic, says Marcia Herman-Giddens of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. A growing number of researchers also are concerned about hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment. Animal studies suggest that many environmental toxins can affect the age of puberty, although scientists aren't yet sure exactly how they affect people.

Suspect chemicals include pesticides used in farms and lawns, flame retardants found in furniture and electronics, and bisphenol A, or BPA, an estrogen-like ingredient found in plastic bottles, the linings of metal food and beverage cans, Biro says. He notes that researchers are collecting blood and urine samples from girls and will be able to analyze their exposure to toxins.

Animal and human studies suggest certain chemicals may affect male sexual development.

The herbicide atrazine, for example, has been shown to chemically "castrate" some male frogs and turn others into females able to lay eggs, according to a March study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

And a 2008 study found that baby boys are more likely to have genital changes, such as undescended testicles and smaller penises, if they were exposed before birth to high levels of phthalates, hormone-disrupting chemicals found in medical tubing, vinyl and other products.

The chemical industry says these chemicals are safe and have never been definitively proven to harm humans.

Hitting puberty at a young age can be confusing and distressing, Herman-Giddens says.

It also increases the odds that girls will develop low self-esteem, eating disorders and depression. Girls who hit puberty sooner are more likely to attempt suicide and to have earlier sexual activity. As adults, these women are at greater risk for breast and endometrial cancers, possibly because they have a longer lifetime exposure to estrogen.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-08-09-1Apuberty09_ST_N.htm


Puberty Hits Girls As Young As 7

Huffington Post  |  Sara Yin

First Posted: 08- 9-10 04:27 PM   |   Updated: 08- 9-10 05:27 PM

More girls are reaching puberty at a younger age, often as early as 7 or 8, according to a new study.Published today in Pediatrics, the study links the alarming trend to rising levels of obesity and environmental chemicals found in everyday items-- like water bottles and makeup-- that mimic estrogen.

Dr. Frank Biro, lead author of the study and director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, told the New York Times:

"It's certainly throwing up a warning flag... I think we need to think about the stuff we're exposing our bodies to and the bodies of our kids."

Obesity is cited as a major factor, because body fat produces estrogen, which in turn triggers breast development and menstruation.

But he also suggests the role of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA), which is used to make the plastics in water bottles and baby bottles. In January 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised concerns over the widespread use of BPA's in consumer products, but so far little has been done to regulate its usage.

The study measures puberty as the start of breast development, the most ostensible sign of puberty in girls. Biro's team took breast measurements of 1,239 girls aged 6 to 9 living in San Francisco Bay area, greater Cincinnati and East Harlem in New York. Each age group was made up of 30% each whites, blacks and Hispanics, and 5% Asians.

According to the study's abstract, at 7 years old, 10.4% of whites, 23.4% of blacks and 14.9% of Hispanic girls were developing breasts. At 8 years, the figures increased to 18.3%, 42.9% and 30.9%, respectively.
Interestingly, these proportions increased the most among whites when compared to 10 years ago, the study says. A Time magazine article questions exactly how young puberty can start -- and why this matters.

The fact that the onset of puberty has not shifted earlier among African-American girls over the last decade, says Biro, may simply reflect the fact that they have reached the minimum biological
age at which sexual development can occur. "How young can you go? Maybe white populations have not arrived at that biologic minimum," he says.

There are other far-reaching consequences of early puberty: increased risk of breast cancer (linked to an overexposure of estrogen), depression, youth violence.
But perhaps most alarming of all are the quieter emotional repercussions, as the Times article notes:

Socially and emotionally, life can be difficult for a girl who has a child's mind in a woman's body and is not ready to deal with sexual advances from men and boys, or cope with her own hormone-spiked emotions and sexual impulses.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/09/puberty-hits-girls-as-you_n_676020.html

Newsflash! America, We're Fat...

I just read an article (see below) that was full of "the latest" information on obesity.  Apparently, it's taken more than half of the US population to become overweight and more than of half deaths to be attributed to heart disease, cancer, and strokes (all lifestyle diseases strongly linked to obesity) before an "expert panel" could declare that obesity is "the single greatest threat to public health in this century." It's 2010!  And a half!  You mean it's taken them 10.5 years into the 21st century to determine this?  If you remember my post earlier this month, in 2000, 22 states had an obesity rate of 20% or more in their state's population.  A reminder that being obese means to have a BMI over 30 and being overweight is to have a BMI between 25 and 29.9.  I bet that the classification of 30+ BMI was not even established 20-30 years ago.  When they added this new range to the index, if anything, that should have been a red flag!  So, how is it NOW that obesity is declared such a large threat?

Alright, enough of my frustration on our country's ridiculous need for validation through studies and analysis versus common sense and for it to hit a breaking point before it will do anything.  Take a look-see at the article and let's chat tomorrow about what they recommend we should do about this humongous threat and of course, my thoughts on their thoughts. 

Happy Friday!



Panel: Obesity is century's greatest public health threat

By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

 

Obesity is "the single greatest threat to public health in this century," an expert panel declared in a report Tuesday that urges Americans to slash calories and increase their physical activity.

An advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans calls on people to cut back on added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and to follow a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.

The report is based on the latest scientific evidence and was prepared by a 13-member panel of national nutrition and health experts. The public now has 30 days to comment at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.

The final 2010 dietary guidelines will be released later this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services.

About two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. The advisory committee highlighted four major steps:

• Reduce excess weight and obesity by cutting calorie intake and increasing physical activity.
• Shift to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Increase the intake of seafood and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and eat only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and eggs.
• Significantly reduce intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats, which contribute about 35% of the calories in the American diet. Cut sodium intake gradually to 1,500 milligrams a day and lower intake of refined grains, especially those with added sugar, solid fat and sodium.
• Meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Those recommend that adults get at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, such as brisk walking, or 1¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity, such as jogging or swimming laps, or a combination of the two types. Children and teens should do an hour or more of moderate-intensity to vigorous physical activity each day.

The report calls for many changes in the food environment, including:

• Improve nutrition literacy and cooking skills, and motivate people, especially families with children, to prepare healthy foods at home.
• Improve the availability of affordable fresh produce through greater access to grocery stores, produce trucks and farmers' markets.
• Encourage restaurants and the food industry to offer health-promoting foods that are low in sodium; limited in added sugars, refined grains and solid fats; and served in smaller portions.

The dietary guidelines were first published in 1980 and are updated every five years. They're used for government nutrition programs and education, as well as by dietitians and health professionals to help educate people about eating healthier.

"Basic nutrition advice hasn't changed much over the 30 years that the dietary guidelines have been published, but what has changed is it is harder and harder to eat well," says Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group based in Washington, D.C.

"For Americans today, healthy eating is like swimming upstream. It's not that you can't do it, it's just it's so hard," she says. "Without changing the food environment, people don't stand a chance of following the advice in the dietary guidelines."

Three steps to lower your calories, she says: Cut portions, eat less when dining out and drink fewer sugary beverages.

What are Obesity Rates in your State?

A recent article stated that more than two-thirds of states in the US have adult obesity rates of 25% or more!  This statistic is staggering because just 10 years ago, in 2000, no state had rates over 20%-24%.  The country is undergoing a serious epidemic of widespread obesity.  These maps below show the evolution of obesity in this country since 1985.  In most of my lifetime, the country has gone from not having even tracked obesity to having six states with more than 30% obese adults.

Twenty years ago, they didn't even need the four of the colors! 

(for less fuzzy numbers see the source)

These maps are an indication of an extreme not only healthcare, but also financial issue in the US.  By 2018, the country will be spending ~$340 billion annually on obesity-TRIPLING current levels! (source).  Additionally, obesity is linked to many lifestyle diseases which lead to premature death.

In rank order, the 15 leading causes of deaths in 2005 were 1) Diseases of heart (heart disease), 2) Malignant neoplasms (cancer), 3) Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), 4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases, 5) Accidents (unintentional injuries), 6) Diabetes mellitus (diabetes), 7) Alzheimer’s disease, 8) Influenza and pneumonia, 9) Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease), 10) Septicemia, 11) Intentional self-harm (suicide), 12) Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, 13) Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (hypertension), 14) Parkinson’s disease, and 15) Assault (homicide). (source)  Twelve of the fifteen top causes are lifestyle related and almost all of them can be linked to obesity.  Those twelve causes make up almost 73% of deaths in the US.  Imagine if we took preventative measures towards obesity before people developed lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.  The healthcare system could focus on health-not disease and the country would not have the financial troubles that it has now.  The US would have a healthier population and in my opinion, a more productive workforce which in turn would help the economy even more!  The army has recently stated that they are have issues recruiting because so much of the younger population is obese.  So obesity is even affecting national security!

Obesity is literally and figuratively a very large problem.  Groups around the country are starting to form to combat this epidemic.  The government is starting to look at the obesity issue and taking strides against it with Michelle Obama's Let's Move program, a promising healthcare legislation is in the works and an increased focus on childhood obesity is happening everywhere including on TV with Jamie Oliver's Food  Revolution and reality shows.  What can you do in your neighborhood to help fight the problem?  Can you start in your home and start educating your family or roommates?  How about only bringing healthful items into your home so you don't turn to the bag of  chips when you are too tired to make dinner?  Would your community be interested if you started a walk or run club in your neighborhood?  Ever thought of hosting a healthy potluck?  The obesity issue is not going away anytime soon.  Efforts need to be made on a large and small scale to attach the problem from all angles.  What are you going to do about it?

Here are some sources you can check out for more information on obesity: 
Obesity Rates Jump in 28 States, Report Shows
F: As in Fat  How Obesity Threatens America's Future 
CDC US Obesity Trends
National Vital Statistics: Deaths-Final Data for 2005