the age when women begin...?

Question

the age when women begin their menstration is falling all over the world. there are girl now starting at age 9 - even 8.
what is the cause of this? if the trend continue the way it is, in a couple of years girls will begin menstrating at age 6.
ps: serious question seeking serious answer.

Answer 1

There were few systematic studies of timing of menarche before the latter half of the 20th century. Most older estimates of average timing of menarche were based on observation of a small homogeneous population not necessarily representative of the larger population, or based on recall by adult women, which is also susceptible to various forms of error. Most sources agree that average age of menarche in girls in modern societies has declined, though the reasons and the degree remain subjects of controversy. There have been claims of a 2 to 2.5 year decline from about 1900 to the 1960s, but the best North American surveys reported only a 2-3 month decline from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. This is commonly attributed to larger body size and earlier average attainment of sufficient body fat, but other factors such as environmental exposure to chemicals that mimic estrogen or the urbanization or "sexualization" of Western society have also been offered by some.

Answer 2

You are right, women are starting earlier and menopause is coming later in life. With the inventions of modern meds and lengthening the life expectancy - we are, on one hand, healthier than we were say 100 years ago when you were old if you were 50-60. Now people are living far beyond that. We are also "maturing" quicker & easier. I am wondering with all the hormones they shoot into our animals to make them grow faster, produce more young, ect.... Could these hormones be effecting human beings in that way of bringing on menstruation & development ealier. Also you must know this. More people respond to surveys than what was done years ago. So this may not be just "hey these girls are having their periods sooner", but more of a - finally coming out with the information.
In the last 50 years Elephants in Africa are starting to be born with no tusks. They NEVER grow. The real quirk to this is that the only reason for them NOT to have them is becuase of the poacher problems. They still use their trunks like they did 50-100 years ago. it is not that they are being phased out or that they are no longer necessary to their exhistance. This is a real fast evolutionary change and 1 that is not brought about by nature, but by select fear.
We as human beings all have our own clocks. I didn't start until I was 17 years old. My daughter - 11.
Mary - the mother of Christ was to be 13 yrs old. So realistically we are not really shooting our girl's ages down - it has been that way to an extent. I think we are more aware. I also still wonder about chemicals and such.

Answer 3

Sadly, this is the world that we live in. I do believe that the cause of this is from the meat that the children are consuming. Even the soy. You see the animals that we eat are given estrogen to fatten them up. Then when the children eat it they also intake the estrogen that their bodies should not be receiving at that time. Hence the early periods. The same estrogen is in boy also. When the little boys get older and walk with a sway instead of a strut we wonder why.

Answer 4

There are many theories as to why the age of onset of menstruation is falling. One of the most supportable theories involves the rise in obesity in youth -- it's well-established that overweight girls begin puberty earlier than normal-weight girls, and we also know that there are more and more overweight kids in our population every year.

Another theory involves the increase in exposure to estrogen and other hormones from the outside environment -- from foods (like soy or meats containing extra hormones), cosmetics, or other products that contain hormones. Others theorize that better nutrition in general may account for the drop in age of menstrual onset. Nobody really knows for sure, and it's most likely that a variety of factors are responsible.

But it's an exaggeration to say that in "a couple of years" girls will be menstruating as early as age 6. I wouldn't worry too much about that happening. Scientists aren't even sure whether or not there is anything particularly BAD about this trend.

Answer 5

Actually, I don't think the age is falling. Girls can start as early as 8 or 9, but I think the average age has been 12 for a long time.

Answer 6

i started a t the age of 8

Answer 7

Actually most studies tell us that it is in the different chemicals in which people feed their cows/pigs/chickens, and then when our children consume those chemicals from eatting the animals meat, it causes there bodies to react a little differently. Although, it's nothing that is wrong with our children, it's just how our bodies are now a days, and will continue to be.

Answer 8

there's lots of theories , evolution, thousands of years ago when the average age of humans was 30-40 and women married young and bared children at a younger age I'm sure they developed early than as society and the life span of humans increased we started with later development. but I think it's all the hormones we feed our meat source chickens/beef/pork to mature them for slaughter etc. Doctors will tell patents to get hormone free meat when children start puberty to young to help stop the process as this has many medical problems with growth cancer etc. and I disagree with the med Liberian there is a serious correlation with early puberty and it's correlation with early cancers thyroid disease and growth factor problems along with metabolic disorders. also even in starving countries puberty is starting young and obesity isn't a problem though I agree with the fact that excessive wt does produce more estrogen in women but not a factor in men/ boys and we are now seeing a trend in pre puberty problems in young boys

Answer 9

Apparently it is a weight thing... girls normally start when they weigh around 7 stone (or something like that) so as children are growing taller and growing earlier, then they are getting their periods earlier. But we wont have 6 year olds getting periods just yet! I started mine at 11 while my mum didnt start till 14. Now i am skinny and not at all curvy, but I was always tallest in my year and was quite chubby when I started.

Answer 10

the cause of this is the food the world is giving us
ESPECIALLY IN THE CHICKEN
(have you ever wondered why chickens grow so big and plump so quickly) it's because of the chemical injections they are putting in the chickens so when we as PEOPLE eat this food we are putting the chemicals in our bodys causing use to mature and "BLOW" up causing obesity and maturity a lot quicker.
ALSO all the sex and stuff on tv is not a big help either
girls are learning way too much way too quickly..and there body is starting to get ready but they are not ready emontionally, mentally, or physically..
I BLAME the GOVERNMENT
not the children or parents