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# Dietary Protein Affects Timing of Puberty
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/dietary_protein_affects_timing_of_puberty_0602100907/
- Published: 2010-02-06T09:07:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T12:40:50.000Z
- Description: Tracking protein intake in 112 German children, researchers found those eating the most animal protein at ages 5 to 6 began their pubertal growth spurt 0.6 years earlier, with similar patterns for menarche and voice break. Higher vegetable protein intake tracked with later timing.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Nutrition, Puberty, Protein, #vivvo-import

More and more boys and girls are becoming women and men earlier than expected; many parents are confused by this.  
  
A new study in the Dec 30, 2009 issue of the Journal Nutrition suggests that a high intake of animal protein may be at least one cause for early puberty.  
  
This study is an important one; early onset of puberty has been associated with hormone-related cancers, but it has not previously been apparent how diet in childhood can affect the timing of puberty in preteens.  
  
Gunther A. L. and colleagues from Fulda University of Applied Science in Germany examined data on anthropometric measurements and 3-day-estimated intake of protein from 112 girls and boys at 12 months, 18 to 24 months, 3 to 4 years and 5 to 6 years to see if there was any association between dietary intake of protein and the timing of the pubertal growth spurt, peak height velocity, and menarche.  
  
Those who consumed high levels of animal protein (and total protein, in general) at the age of 5 or 6 years experienced an early pubertal growth spurt and those who had the highest tertile of animal protein intake at these ages experienced pubertal growth spurt 0.6 years earlier than those who had the lowest tertile.  
  
Similar associations were found for the timing of menarche in girls and voice break in boys.  
  
In contrast, higher intake of vegetable protein intake at 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 years was associated with menarche in girls and voice break in boys, respectively. High vegetable protein intake was also linked to later pubertal growth spurt and peak height velocity.  
  
Another study published in the April 2006 issue of The British journal of nutrition supported the findings.  
  
For that particular study of 422 boys and 365 girls ages 9 to 12 years, Li S. J. and colleagues from Seoul National university in Seoul Korea compared four diets commonly used by girls and boys, including rice and Kimchi, shellfish and processed meat, pizza and drinks and milk and cereal to see if these diets affect the genital development in boys and breast development in girls.  
  
Twenty six percent of boys had genital development and 79 percent of girls had breast development.  
  
"Shellfish and processed meat" diet was associated with both genital development in boys and breast development in girls, the researchers found.

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