Pubertal development of Turkish children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pubertal development of Turkish school children, to look for possible secular trends in pubertal development.


METHODS
1,562 girls and 1,749 boys (aged 6-16.5 years) from urban and rural schools were studied. Weight and height were measured and body mass index was calculated. Pubertal stages were assessed according to Tanner. Testicular volume was determined using an orchidometer. Menarcheal age was recorded.


RESULTS
In girls, mean ages at breast stage (B) were 7.74 +/- 1.08 years for B1, 10.16 +/- 0.97 for B2, 11.72 +/- 1.29 for B3, 12.97 +/- 1.17 for B4, and 13.66 +/- 0.89 for B5. Mean ages at pubic hair stage (PH) were 8.72 +/- 1.50 years for PH1, 10.57 +/- 1.39 for PH2, 12.12 +/- 1.10 for PH3, 13.10 +/- 1.04 for PH4, and 13.87 +/- 0.83 for PH5. Mean age at menarche was 12.41 years. Menarcheal age was earlier in overweight and obese children compared with that in normal children. In boys, mean ages at each maturity stage according to testis volume (G) were 8.70 +/- 1.38 years for G1, 11.76 +/- 1.28 for G2, 12.81 +/- 1.0 for G3, 13.17 +/- 0.87 for G4, and 13.87 +/- 0.98 for G5. Mean ages at PH in boys were 9.39 +/- 1.81 years for PH1, 12.02 +/- 1.33 for PH2, 13.05 +/- 0.88 for PH3, 13.42 +/- 0.87 for PH4, and 14.02 +/- 0.92 for PH5.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study provides an up-to-date reference of normal sexual maturation of Turkish children. While the mean age at onset of puberty in boys was comparable to that of other populations in the world, girls were found to start pubertal development earlier than in other populations.
Semiz
Serap
S
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey. drssemiz@yahoo.com
Kurt
Funda
F
Kurt
Devrim Tanil
DT
Zencir
Mehmet
M
Sevinç
Ozgür
O
D000293:Adolescent; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology