Girls who go through puberty early are more likely to suffer mental health problems in their teenage years because of rows with parents and boyfriend troubles, a study has found.
Evidence suggests girls are now going through puberty earlier than before – with improved nutrition and high levels of pollution suggested as possible causes.
Early puberty puts girls at greater risk of breast cancer and other problems because they are exposed to adult female hormones for longer Rebecca Smith, Medical Edfitor, writes in today’s Daily Telegraph.
Now research conducted by University of Bristol and the University of Cambridge has found a link between when a girl first menstruated and symptoms of depression.
The findings published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that girls who started their periods before the age of 11.5 years had the highest rates of depression at 13 and 14.
By comparison, girls who started their periods after the age of 13.5 had the lowest rates of depression.