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Original poster

Puberty, now compared to the 70s

38 replies

Spliffle · 14/12/2022 18:54

I'm old now (dc grown) but I hear every now and then about girls starting puberty quite early compared to my lifetime. When I was at school periods started around 13/14 but now I hear of 11, 9, 8 etc. Is this a thing that we've moved back a few years? How has this happened?

OP posts:
DNBU · 14/12/2022 20:22

I was in year 6, this was in the 90s.

MissVantaBlack · 14/12/2022 20:22

I think it's also related to diet. Girls who eat a diet that is high in protein and energy are able to nurture a growing foetus from a younger age, so puberty begins earlier. Although we actually consume fewer calories than previous generations,our energy expenditure has decreased even more, so there is more "spare" energy.

rhetorician · 14/12/2022 20:24

Yes very variable - my 83 yo MIL had first period at 9; my DP at 14, my children 12 (eldest) and 10y10 months (youngest) - though the latter hasn't yet had another. DN was 12 too.

NameIsBryceQuinlan · 14/12/2022 20:26

There are many examples in history of famous women having babies very young, so many must have started periods around 10 (sadly in this case)

bottleofbeer · 14/12/2022 20:32

My nan was 17. My mum was 10. I was 14 and my daughter was 12.

ThirtyThreeTrees · 14/12/2022 20:34

Mine started at 10 in the early 90s.

I was a very slight, short at the the time. A tonne of gynaecologic issues but no idea if that's connected.

Whee · 14/12/2022 21:10

MN loves some anecdata 🙄

There are plenty of studies that show the average age of menarche is getting lower. From memory, it used to be 14 and now it's 12.

There are also plenty of studies that show most women need to be around 45kg to go through menarche.

There will always be outliers who do not fit the average, be it your teenage daughter today or your grandma in the 1920s.

Ghskl78888 · 14/12/2022 21:15

My mum started age 10 (1970s) myself 10 in the early 00s and I am sure my daughter will do before primary is finished. It's 'normal' for us.

Deadringer · 14/12/2022 21:32

I am in my 50s and was 16 which was late for the time, but my friend who is 64 started hers when she was 9 so it wasn't unheard of even back in ye olde days. My dds ranged from 12 to nearly 15.

rhowton · 15/12/2022 17:30

Periods are weight based. Children are eating more food now.

DrNo007 · 15/12/2022 17:36

Endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment including in food, water and air. They also affect our tendency to gain weight. There is a lot of research published on this.

cantba · 15/12/2022 20:26

I'm 45. I remeber my aged biology teacher telling me she started at 9. Clearly unusual but it did happen years ago too. Kids are fatter now though and some early starters are overweight (not all of course).

ScottishLavender · 15/12/2022 20:38

I was 11. DD 14. My sister 16. Her DD 11.

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