The Impact of Puberty Timing on Future Metabolic and Hormonal Disorder Risk
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.42.60439Keywords
puberty timing, menarche, type 2 diabetes, metabolic risk, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, gestational diabetesAbstract
Introduction and Objectives:
Puberty is occurring earlier across populations, raising concerns about long-term health effects. Early onset—marked by younger age at menarche in girls or early voice change in boys—has been linked to adverse metabolic outcomes, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [1]. This review explores how pubertal timing influences the risk of metabolic and hormonal disorders, focusing on T2DM.
Brief Literature Review:
Earlier puberty correlates with higher risks of obesity, insulin resistance, and T2DM [1]. Each one-year delay in menarche reduces T2DM risk by ~9%, independent of adult adiposity [2]. Girls with menarche ≤11 years and boys with early voice breaking show elevated T2DM odds [2]. Early puberty is also associated with higher adult BMI, gestational diabetes, and PCOS [1,13]. Mechanisms include childhood obesity, insulin resistance during puberty, and hormonal shifts [14]. Some effects persist beyond body weight influences [5,6].
Conclusions:
Early puberty is a marker—and possibly a mediator—of increased T2DM and hormonal disorder risk [1,2]. Pubertal timing may independently impact long-term health. Identifying at-risk youth could support early interventions. Further research should explore causal pathways and prevention strategies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Agnieszka Buliszak, Monika Babczyńska, Piotr Marcjasz, Anna Bioły , Patryk Dryja, Agata Boczar, Ewa Chodkowska, Kinga Bielas
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