Excess weight in childhood could increase the risk of early puberty

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-06-10 01:00

Australia; International; VIC

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Children who gain excess weight during their childhood may be more likely to go through early puberty, according to a long-term study of two cohorts of children in Australia and China. The researchers collected data on the children's BMI through the years and looked at the duration and severity of any obesity they had through the study, and compared this data with when their parents reported them first going through puberty. They say higher overall exposure to obesity in childhood was linked to a higher risk of puberty at an earlier age, with this link particularly strong for excess weight at age 3-4. As early puberty is linked to a range of health risks later in life, the researchers say preventing rapid weight gain before puberty, particularly in that age 3-4 period, may help keep early puberty at bay, along with the complications that can come with it.