Why Does Puberty Start Earlier Than It Used To?

This article summarizes leading research on the decreasing age of the onset of puberty, and looks into what’s “normal” for starting one’s period. It looks at a fairly wide range of factors that may contribute to earlier puberty. It also provides research you can use for advocacy, demonstrating the benefits of teaching menstruation education and providing menstrual products in schools at younger grades.

Note: This article uses terms such as “obesity,” which pathologize body size. Additionally, this article is published by the New York Times, which currently offers only 4 free articles per month.