Early Puberty Linked to Increased Risk of Mental Health Problems

An earlier-than-usual onset of puberty could be related with a higher chance of mental health issues, with incidence of depression and ADHD remaining high for at least eight years following onset, a study has found.

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‘Central precocious puberty’ is a condition in which physical changes associated with this stage of growth begin early — before age eight for girls, nine for boys.

Researchers, including those from University Hospital Essen, Germany, looked at over 6,500 individuals — around 1,100 who had early puberty and the rest who did not — using the country's health insurance data, following them for 13 years.

Findings, published in