Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

Early pubertal onset and its relationship with sexual risk taking, substance use and anti-social behaviour: a preliminary cross-sectional study

Authors: Jennifer Downing, Mark A Bellis

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2009

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

In many countries age at pubertal onset has declined substantially. Relatively little attention has been paid to how this decline may affect adolescent behaviours such as substance use, violence and unprotected sex and consequently impact on public health.

Methods

In the UK, two opportunistic samples (aged 16-45 years), paper-based (n = 976) and online (n = 1117), examined factors associated with earlier pubertal onset and whether earlier age of onset predicted sexual risk-taking, substance use and anti-social behaviours during early adolescence.

Results

Overall, 45.6% of females reported menarche ≤ 12 years and 53.3% of males were categorised as having pubertal onset ≤ 11 years. For both sexes earlier pubertal onset was associated with poorer parental socio-economic status. Other pre-pubertal predictors of early onset were being overweight, more childhood illnesses (females) and younger age at time of survey (males). For both sexes earlier puberty predicted having drunk alcohol, been drunk, smoked and used drugs <14 years as well as having a sexual debut and unprotected sex <16 years. Males with earlier pubertal onset were more likely to report fighting and aggressive responses to emotional upset during early adolescence while females were more likely to report being bullied and having taken more time off school.

Conclusion

Results provide sufficient evidence for changes in age of pubertal onset to be further explored as a potential influence on trends in adolescent risk behaviours. Further insight into the relationship between early puberty and both obesity and socio-economic status may help inform early interventions to tackle the development of risk behaviours and health inequalities during early adolescence.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Bellis MA, Downing J, Ashton JA: Adults at 12? Trends in puberty and their public health consequences. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2006, 60: 910-911. 10.1136/jech.2006.049379.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
2.
De Muinck Keizer-Schrama SM, Mull D: Trends in pubertal development in Europe. Hum Reprod Update. 2001, 7: 287-291. 10.1093/humupd/7.3.287.CrossRef
3.
Herman-Giddens ME: Recent data on pubertal milestones in United States children: the secular trend toward earlier development. Int J Androl. 2006, 29: 241-246. 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00575.x.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Whincup PH, Gilg JA, Odoki K, Taylor SJC, Cook DG: Age of menarche in contemporary British teenagers: survey of girls born between 1982 and 1986. BMJ. 2001, 322: 1095-1096. 10.1136/bmj.322.7294.1095.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
5.
Anderson SE, Must A: Interpreting the continued decline in the average age at menarche, results from two nationally representative surveys of US girls studies 10 years apart. J Pediatr. 2005, 147: 753-760. 10.1016/j.jpeds.2005.07.016.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Bodzsar EB, Susanne C, Eds: Secular growth changes in Europe. Budapest, Hungary. 1998, Budapest: Eotvos University Press
7.
Bogaert AF: Age at puberty and father absence in a national probability sample. J Adolesc. 2005, 28: 541-546. 10.1016/j.adolescence.2004.10.008.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Gluckman PD, Hanson MA: Changing times: The evolution of puberty. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2006, 254-255: 26-31. 10.1016/j.mce.2006.04.005.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Zehr JL, Culbert KM, Sisk CL, Klump KL: An association of early puberty with disordered eating and anxiety in a population of undergraduate women and men. Horm Behav. 2007, 52: 427-435. 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.06.005.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
10.
Kaltiala-Heino R, Rimpela M, Rissanen A, Rantanen P: Early puberty and early sexual activity are associated with bulimic-type eating pathology in middle Adolescence. J Adolesc Health. 2001, 28: 346-352. 10.1016/S1054-139X(01)00195-1.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Costello EJ, Sung M, Worthman C, Angold A: Pubertal maturation and the development of alcohol use and abuse. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007, 88S: S50-S59. 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.12.009.CrossRef
12.
Westling E, Andrews JA, Hampson SE, Peterson M: Pubertal timing and substance use: the effects of gender, parental monitoring and deviant peers. J Adolesc Health. 2008, 42: 555-563. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.11.002.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
13.
Zimmer-Gembeck MJ, Collins WA: Gender, mature appearance, alcohol use, and dating as correlates of sexual partner accumulation from ages 16-26 years. J Adolesc Health. 2008, 42: 564-572. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.11.004.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Johnson AM, Mercer CH, Erens B, Copas AJ, McManus S, Wellings K, Fenton KA, Korovessis C, Macdowall W, Nanchahal K, Purdon S, Field J: Sexual behaviour in Britain: partnerships, practices, and HIV risk behaviours. Lancet. 2001, 358: 1835-42. 10.1016/S0140-6736(01)06883-0.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Edgardh K: Sexual behaviour and early coitarche in a national sample of 17-year old Swedish boys. Acta Paediatr. 2002, 91: 985-991. 10.1080/080352502760272704.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Felson RB, Haynie DL: Pubertal Development, social factors, and delinquency among adolescent boys. Criminology. 2002, 40: 967-988. 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2002.tb00979.x.CrossRef
17.
Fenton KA, Lowndes CM: Recent trends in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in the European Union. Sex Transm Inf. 2004, 80: 255-263. 10.1136/sti.2004.009415.CrossRef
18.
ESSTI: Sexually Transmitted Infections in Europe; annual report No. 3. 2008, London: Health Protection Agency
19.
Hibell B, Guttormsson U, Ahlströhm S, Balakireva O, Bjarnason T, Kokkevi A, Kraus L: The 2007 ESPAD Report: substance use among students in 35 European countries. 2009, Stockholm: ESPAD
20.
Goodson P, Evans A, Edmundson E: Female adolescents and onset of sexual intercourse: a theory-based review of research from 1984 to 1994. J Adolesc Health. 1997, 21: 147-156. 10.1016/S1054-139X(97)00004-9.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Kaltiala-Heino R, Kosunen E, Rimpela M: Pubertal timing, sexual behaviour and self-reported depression in middle adolescence. J Adolesc. 2003, 26: 531-545. 10.1016/S0140-1971(03)00053-8.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Michaud PA, Suris JC, Deppen A: Gender-related psychological and behavioural correlates of pubertal timing in a national sample of Swiss adolescents. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2006, 254-255: 172-178. 10.1016/j.mce.2006.04.037.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Berger U, Weitkamp K, Strauss B: Weight Limits, estimations of future BMI, subjective pubertal timing and physical appearance comparisons among adolescent girls as precursors of disturbed eating behaviour in a community sample. Eur Eat Disorders Rev. 2009, 17: 128-136. 10.1002/erv.898.CrossRef
24.
Unicef: Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries. Innocenti report card 7. 2007, Florence: Unicef
25.
Unicef: A league table of teenage births in rich nations. Innocenti report card 3. 2001, Florence: Unicef
26.
27.
Bellis MA, Morleo M, Tocque K, Dedman D, Phillips-Howard PA, Perkins C, Jones L: Contributions of alcohol use to teenage pregnancy: an examination of geographical and evidence based associations. 2009, Liverpool: North West Public Health Observatory, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University
28.
Holtgrave DR, Crosby RA: Social capital, poverty, and income inequality as predictors of gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and AIDS case rates in the United States. Sex Transm Inf. 2003, 79: 62-64. 10.1136/sti.79.1.62.CrossRef
29.
Anderson P: Global use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2006, 25: 489-502. 10.1080/09595230600944446.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Chaudhury M, Falaschetti E, Fuller E, Mackenzie H, Mindell J, Nicholson S, Pickup D, Roth M, Scholes S, Tabassaum F, Thompson J, Wardle H: Health survey for England 2007. Healthy lifestyles: knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. 2008, London: The NHS Information Centre, 1:
31.
Bellis MA, Hughes K, Anderson Z, Tocque K, Hughes S: Contribution of violence to health inequalities in England: demographics and trends in emergency hospital admissions for assault. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008, 62: 1064-1071. 10.1136/jech.2007.071589.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Jones L, Bellis MA, Dedman D, Sumnall H, Tocque K: Alcohol-attributable fractions for England; alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions. 2008, Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University
33.
Bogaert AF, Friesen C: Sexual orientation and height, weight, and age of puberty: new tests from a British national probability sample. Biol Psychol. 2002, 59: 135-145. 10.1016/S0301-0511(01)00131-4.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Anderson SE, Gerard MS, Dallal E, Must A: Relative weight and race influence average Age at menarche: results from two nationally representative surveys of US girls studied 25 years apart. Pediatrics. 2003, 111: 844-850. 10.1542/peds.111.4.844.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Mul D, Oostdijk W, Drop SLS: Early puberty in adopted children. Horm Res. 2002, 57: 1-9. 10.1159/000057939.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Office for National Statistics: Standard occupational classification 2000; structure and description of unit groups. 2000, London: the Stationary Office, 1:
37.
Office for National Statistics: Standard occupational classification 2000; the coding index. 2000, London: The Stationary Office, 2:
38.
Coleman L, Coleman J: The measurement of puberty: a review. J Adolesc. 2002, 25: 535-550. 10.1006/jado.2002.0494.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Gluckman PD, Hanson MA: Evolution, development and timing of puberty. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2006, 17: 7-12. 10.1016/j.tem.2005.11.006.CrossRefPubMed
40.
41.
O'Keefe DJ: Colloquy: Should familywise alpha be adjusted? Against familywise alpha adjustment. Hum Commun Res. 2003, 29: 431-447.
42.
Tutzauer F: On the sensible application of familywise alpha adjustment. Hum Commun Res. 2003, 29: 455-463. 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2003.tb00848.x.CrossRef
43.
Pitkänen T, Lyyra AL, Pulkkinen L: Age of onset of drinking and the use of alcohol in adulthood: a follow-up study from age 8-42 for females and males. Addiction. 2005, 100: 652-661. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01053.x.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Bonomo YA, Bowes G, Carolyn C, Carlin JB, Patton GC: Teenage drinking and the onset of alcohol dependence: a cohort study over seven years. Addiction. 2004, 99: 1520-1528. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00846.x.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Finkelstein JW, Von Eye A, Preece MA: The relationship between aggressive behavior and puberty in normal adolescents: a longitudinal study. J Adolesc Health. 1994, 15: 319-26. 10.1016/1054-139X(94)90605-X.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Sontag LM, Graber JA, Brooks-Gunn J, Warren MP: Coping with Social Stress: Implications for Psychopathology in Young Adolescent Girls. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2008, 36: 1159-1174. 10.1007/s10802-008-9239-3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
47.
Butland B, Jebb S, Kopelman P, McPherson K, Thomas S, Mardell J, Parry V: Foresight tackling obesities: future choices project report. 2007, London: Department of Innovation Universities and Skill, 2
48.
Neovius M, Sundström J, Rasmussen F: Combined effects of overweight and smoking in late adolescence on subsequent mortality: nationwide cohort study. BMJ. 2009, 338: b496-10.1136/bmj.b496.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
49.
Ridler C, Townsend N, Dinsdale H, Mulhall C, Rutter H: National child measurement programme: detailed analysis of the 2007/08 national dataset. 2009, Oxford: National Obesity Observatory
50.
World Health Organisation: European strategy for child and adolescent health and development. Copenhagen. 2005
Metadata
Title
Early pubertal onset and its relationship with sexual risk taking, substance use and anti-social behaviour: a preliminary cross-sectional study
Authors
Jennifer Downing
Mark A Bellis
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-446

Other articles of this Issue 1/2009

BMC Public Health 1/2009 Go to the issue

Research article

Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D status in African American men

Research article

Formative research on the feasibility of hygiene interventions for influenza control in UK primary schools

Research article

Explaining the variation in the management of lifestyle risk factors in primary health care: A multilevel cross sectional study

Study protocol

Study Protocol: Randomised controlled trial to investigate the functional significance of marginal riboflavin status in young women in the UK (RIBOFEM)

Research article

Gender differences in health and health care utilisation in various ethnic groups in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study

Research article

The socio-demographic patterning of sexual risk behaviour: a survey of young men in Finland and Estonia