Do Physical Traits at Puberty Determine a Womans Health Risks?
(HealthDay is the new name for HealthScoutNews.) TUESDAY, June 17 (HealthDayNews) — A girl’s physical characteristics when she enters puberty may indicate how her health will fare as an adult, particularly when it comes to obesity and possibly breast cancer. That’s the conclusion of a controversial new study that some critics call a “giant leap of faith.” The 10-year project, which followed 859 girls beginning at age 10, found that those who developed breasts before body hair had a slightly higher percentage of body fat in the year before and the years following puberty. They also had an earlier onset of their first menstrual cycle. Based on this finding, which appears in the June issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, study author Dr. Frank Biro speculates these girls may also have an increased risk of obesity and possibly breast cancer later in life. “Previous studies have shown an association between breast cancer, an early onset of the menstrual cycle, greater body mass index and bod
