Published online February 1, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 Supplement February 2008, pp. S167-S171 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1813C)

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My File Cabinet Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Euling, S. Y. Articles by Skakkebaek, N. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Euling, S. Y. Articles by Skakkebaek, N. E. Related Collections Endocrinology Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE

Role of Environmental Factors in the Timing of Puberty

Susan Y. Euling, PhD^a, Sherry G. Selevan, PhD^a, Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, MD^b and Niels E. Skakkebaek, MD, DMSc^c

^a National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
^b Department of Pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
^c University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen, Denmark

Puberty-timing measures have historically been used as indicators of adequate nutrition and growth. More recently, these measures have been examined in relation to exposure to estrogenic or antiandrogenic agents, as well as other environmental factors. The scientific community has debated whether puberty timing is occurring earlier today than in the mid-1900s in the United States and, if so, whether environmental factors play a role; however, no one has asked a multidisciplinary panel to resolve this question. Thus, a multidisciplinary expert panel jointly sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Serono Symposia International was convened to examine the evidence of a secular trend, identify potential environmental factors of concern, and identify research needs regarding environmental factors and puberty timing at "The Role of Environmental Factors on the Timing and Progression of Puberty" workshop. The majority of the panelists concluded that the girls' data are sufficient to suggest a secular trend toward earlier breast development onset and menarche from 1940 to 1994 but that the boys' data are insufficient to suggest a trend during this same period. The weight-of-the-evidence evaluation of human and animal studies suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly the estrogen mimics and antiandrogens, and body fat are important factors associated in altered puberty timing. A change in the timing of puberty markers was considered adverse from a public health perspective. The panel recommended research areas to further our understanding of the relationships among environmental factors, puberty-timing outcomes, and other reproductive and adult disease at the individual and population levels.

---

Key Words: puberty • precocious puberty • growth and development • endocrine disruptors • body fat • environmental health • public health • environmental exposure • environmental pollutants

Abbreviations: EDC—endocrine-disrupting chemical

---

Accepted Sep 5, 2007.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Cromer and C. M. Gordon Early Pubertal Development in Chinese Girls Pediatrics, August 1, 2009; 124(2): 799 - 801. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-M. Ma, M.-L. Du, X.-P. Luo, S.-K. Chen, L. Liu, R.-M. Chen, C. Zhu, F. Xiong, T. Li, W. Wang, et al. Onset of Breast and Pubic Hair Development and Menses in Urban Chinese Girls Pediatrics, August 1, 2009; 124(2): e269 - e277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Johnson, E. Makaji, S. Ho, Boya Xiong, D. J. Crankshaw, and A. C. Holloway Effect of Maternal Raspberry Leaf Consumption in Rats on Pregnancy Outcome and the Fertility of the Female Offspring Reproductive Sciences, June 1, 2009; 16(6): 605 - 609. [Abstract] [PDF]