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Correlation between Nutrition and Early Puberty in Girls Living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abdulmoein E. Al-Agha, Rothaina J Saeedi and Bara’ah O Tatwany

Background: The puberty ages in females living in western and middle eastern countries is declining rapidly because of many underlying causes including consumption of animal protein, caloric intake (fat, soft drinks), and fruits and vegetables (fiber).

Aim: To investigate the relationship between early puberty and the intake of various types of protein (chicken, beef and fish), fruits, vegetables, dairy products, caffeine and soft drinks.

Study Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah. The sample included 568 young women from different areas; pubertal staging was conducted using the Tanner staging, and relevant data were collected through a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient; we assumed that the data followed a normal distribution based on the large sample size of 568 girls.

Results: Early breast and pubic hair development was significantly correlated with meat, fast food, French fries, and soft drink consumption. It was also observed that the age at menarche was significantly correlated with chicken consumption.

Conclusion: A significant relationship between early pubertal development and excessive consumption of chicken and beef was observed along with varying relationships between fat, soft drink, caffeine, calcium, and fruit and vegetable intake and pubertal development. Reduced organic chicken and beef intake was highly recommended.