Premature puberty is usually identified when signs of puberty actually appear before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys.
Many families, because they are too worried, have arbitrarily stopped giving their children cow's milk. However, according to experts, there is currently no evidence to confirm that milk consumption is the direct cause of early puberty.
Nutrition guidelines for children suspected of early puberty
Summary table: Nutrition and living guidelines for children suspected of early puberty
| Care aspect | Practical notes according to medical experts |
|---|---|
| Do not cut arbitrarily. You can prioritize unsweetened/low-sugar fresh milk to avoid excess energy. | |
| Control your weight, minimize fast food, fried chicken, and sugary soft drinks. | |
| Encourage children to exercise at least 60 minutes/day, get enough sleep. | |
Understanding milk and endocrine development correctly
Does drinking cow's milk cause early puberty? The time of puberty is affected by many factors. Overweight and obesity are related to the tendency to have early puberty, especially in girls. Some cases of early puberty may be related to central nervous system disease or exposure to external sex hormones.
Nutrition also plays an important role, but is mainly related to prolonged excess energy leading to rapid weight gain.
Scientific nutritional solutions
Instead of completely cutting, parents can prioritize unsweetened or low-sugar fresh milk according to age needs. Daily diet needs to diversify groups of substances, limit fast food, candies and sugary drinks. In addition, children need to maintain exercise for at least 60 minutes each day to support comprehensive physical development. Parents should absolutely not arbitrarily use products advertised as "puberty suppressants" that lack scientific basis to avoid potential health risks.
The information in the article is for reference only, not for medical diagnosis or treatment. Parents should talk directly to the doctor for accurate advice and appropriate to the child's health condition.
Q&A corner on nutrition and puberty
Does drinking soy milk cause early puberty in children?
Soybeans contain isoflavones, a group of plant compounds that can interact with estrogen receptors but are different in activity and weaker than endogenous estrogen. Current studies have not shown that using soybeans in a regular diet increases the risk of early puberty in children. However, there are limited evidence, so it should not be affirmed that soybeans have no hormonal effects at all. Children can use soy milk products in appropriate amounts in a diverse diet.
