Boys starting puberty earlier
Boys in the U.S. are starting puberty six months to two years earlier, according to a new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study found that on average boys now undergo the first signs of puberty between 9 and 10 years of age. The trend was more pronounced in African-American boys at 9.1 years, Hispanic boys at ten years and non-Hispanic white boys at 10.1 according to the online edition of the journal Pediatrics. The reason behind the early start is not known. This is the first large study of puberty in U.S. boys in 25 years. In previous decades, the average age of puberty was 11.
