Question
My daughter is only 7 years old, but recently I noticed that her breasts have started to develop and are slightly protruding. I hurried to take her for a check-up, and the doctor said it’s early puberty. I’m a bit confused because she usually only eats family-style meals at home and there’s nothing special in her diet. What could be the possible causes of early puberty in children?
Answer
Early puberty in children is not solely related to food, although food is indeed an important factor. If the food consumed by the child contains more estrogen-like substances, it can indeed promote early maturation. Besides snacks, excessive intake of certain foods can also promote early puberty, although these have little effect on adults, they can have a significant impact on children. In addition to food, there are also other factors in daily life that may affect early puberty in children, such as exposure to adult matters that the child frequently comes into contact with.