Evolution, development and timing of puberty.
The age of menarche has fallen as child health has improved. Although there is ample evidence of delayed puberty being associated with poorer childhood nutrition, menarche is also influenced by prenatal factors. In particular, early onset of puberty is reported in children who have migrated from developing to developed countries. Evolutionary perspectives suggest that these effects can be explained by adaptive mechanisms. They also provide an explanation for the human pubertal growth spurt. In the past few decades, as puberty has advanced, biological maturation has come to precede psychosocial maturation significantly for the first time in our evolutionary history Although this developmental mismatch has considerable societal implications, care has to be taken not to medicalize contemporary early puberty inappropriately.
Gluckman
Peter D
PD
The Liggins Institute and National Research Centre for Growth and Development, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. pd.gluckman@auckland.ac.nz
Hanson
Mark A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011627:Puberty / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*