Environment/Health early puberty in girls.

The most important news and commentary to read right now. - The Slatest - Slate Magazine: "Girls Hitting Puberty Earlier

More girls are hitting puberty by the age of 7 or 8, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. The study included 1,239 black, white, Hispanic, and Asian girls between the ages of 6 and 8, and it found that 'at 7 years, 10.4 percent of white, 23.4 percent of black and 14.9 percent of Hispanic girls had enough breast development to be considered at the onset of puberty.' Nobody knows why girls are developing earlier, the New York Times says, but ever since a controversial 1997 study found that puberty was more common among 7- and 8-year-olds than previously reported, a number of similar studies have been published on the issue. Some researchers say that obesity is responsible for triggering early puberty, and although the idea remains unproven, others argue that environmental chemicals that simulate estrogen are to blame. Regardless, the trend has scientists concerned. 'It's certainly throwing up a warning flag,' said the study's lead author, Frank Biro. 'I think we need to think about the stuff we're exposing our bodies to and the bodies of our kids. This is a wake-up call, and I think we need to pay attention to it.'

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