Association of Infant Physical Development and Rapid Growth With Pubertal Onset Among Girls in Rural China

In a prospective birth cohort study of 294 girls in rural western China, researchers found that higher weight-for-age z scores at 12 months and rapid weight gain from birth to 24 months, especially from birth to 3 months, were significantly associated with earlier puberty onset, defined as reaching Tanner stage 2 for breast development or pubic hair growth. The median age of puberty onset among the participants was 11 years. Length-related growth indicators during infancy, however, were not associated with the timing of puberty onset. These results suggest that early life weight gain may be an indicator of earlier puberty onset in girls. The study included girls born after 2004, with follow-up interviews conducted between June 1 and December 31, 2016, and data analyses from November 1, 2019, to May 30, 2020.