Abstract

Puberty is a crucial developmental stage in the life span, necessary to achieve reproductive and somatic maturity. Timing of puberty is modulated by and responds to central neurotransmitters, hormones, and environmental factors leading to hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis maturation. The connection between hormones and nutrition during critical periods of growth, like fetal life or infancy, is fundamental for metabolic adaptation response and pubertal development control and prediction. Since birth weight is an important indicator of growth estimation during fetal life, restricted prenatal growth, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA), may impact endocrine system, affecting pubertal development. Successively, lactation along with early life optimal nutrition during infancy and childhood may be important in order to set up timing of sexual maturation and provide successful reproduction at a later time. Sexual maturation and healthy growth are also influenced by nutrition requirements and diet composition. Early nutritional surveillance and monitoring of pubertal development is recommended in all children, particularly in those at risk, such as the ones born SGA and/or IUGR, as well as in the case of sudden weight gain during infancy. Adequate macro and micronutrient intake is essential for healthy growth and sexual maturity.

Highlights

  • Puberty is a crucial developmental stage in the life span that leads to reproductive and somatic maturity. [1,2,3,4]

  • The following keywords were used to search for papers published up to October 2020: birthweight, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), small for gestational age (SGA), nutrition, diet, puberty onset, puberty timing, pubertal development, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, lactation, macronutrients, micronutrients, nutrient intake and requirements

  • Literature studies have shown that there is a correlation between IUGR, insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinism that occurs late due to rapid weight gain in early childhood, which would be responsible for increasing the bioavailability of sex hormones and, for acceleration of puberty [69,70]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Puberty is a crucial developmental stage in the life span that leads to reproductive and somatic maturity. [1,2,3,4]. Puberty is a crucial developmental stage in the life span that leads to reproductive and somatic maturity. These interactions take place at early developmental stages and impact on pubertal timing [4]. Breastfeeding or formula feeding, along with early life healthy nutrition and nutritional status during infancy and childhood, impact on sexual maturation timing and successful reproduction at a later time [8]. This narrative review aimed at combining evidence of fetal and neonatal nutritional status on sexual maturation physiology and timing

Methods
Physiology of Puberty
Fetal Growth and Timing of Puberty
Small for Gestational Age and Pubertal Timing
IUGR Born SGA or AGA and Timing of Puberty
Neonatal and Early Infancy Nutrition and Puberty
Micronutrient Intake
Findings
Conclusions
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call