Early puberty in girls related to absent fathers

Children getting older while they are still young is not just a cultural phenomenon. Girls are literally reaching puberty at a younger age, and alarming doctors because it is associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Now a new study has suggested that fathers may be important in how their daughters mature. Scientists from University of California have discovered that if a girl lives in a home without a biological father she will mature before those girls who live with their biological father. People had always assumed this was because girls in such homes had poorer diets and then higher body mass index, and weight boosts early puberty.

But here's the mystery: early puberty is more frequent among white non-Hispanic girls who live in relatively rich homes. And the absent father effect was there even taking into account the weight factor.

Some explanations are suggested for the absent father effect. Perhaps there are other men in the home, stepfathers or boyfriends, whose pheromones start the girls' biological clocks. But that is not so clear, because the presence of other men in the home didn't alter the results. Maturing early is a reaction to the instability. Artificial light from computer screens and TVs increases the speed of puberty, and these are more prevalent in higher income single parent homes. And there's also a correlation between early puberty and some haircare treatments that contain placental products.

Perhaps the most controversial hypothesis is related to mothers, not fathers. A study published this week showed that the cause is very little emotional communication: mothers who have jobs don't spend much time at home.
Adapted from an article by Belinda Luscombe in Time Magazine. Photo by Bill Davila / Filmmagic