Fluoride Exposure and Pubertal Development in Children Living in Mexico City

In a cross-sectional study involving 157 boys and 176 girls aged 10-17 from Mexico City, researchers investigated the relationship between fluoride exposure and pubertal development. They measured urinary fluoride levels and assessed pubertal stages by a trained physician. The study found that for boys, an increase in urinary fluoride was associated with later development of pubic hair and genitalia. Specifically, a one-interquartile range increase in urinary fluoride was linked to a decrease in the odds of advancing to higher stages of pubic hair growth (OR = 0.71) and genital development (OR = 0.71). No significant associations were observed in girls, although the trend was similarly negative. These results suggest that fluoride exposure at the levels found in the study population may delay pubertal development in boys.