Abstract
The question of whether or not children, particularly girls, are entering puberty
earlier than they did in the past has been a concern in both the medical community
and the general population. A secular trend analysis of the current data on pubertal
timing in boys and girls is limited by variations in the study design, the population
assessed, and the methods used to determine pubertal development. These differences
present a challenge when interpreting the available data, especially when comparing
multiple studies. The influence of race on pubertal timing and development had not
been assessed before the 1970s. The purpose of this article is to review the reported
variations in pubertal timing among different racial/ethnic groups. Data suggest African
American girls enter puberty earlier and reach menarche earlier than Caucasian and
Hispanic girls. In addition, the trend toward earlier timing of puberty seems to be
occurring faster in African American girls compared with Caucasian girls over the
past 25 years. While the mechanism and understanding of the cause of racial disparities
in pubertal development remain to be discerned, genetic and/or environmental factors
may play a role and require further investigation.
Keywords
puberty - menarche - Tanner stage - race
