From Carolyn Moynihan over at Mercatornet:

Evidence that girls are reaching puberty as early as seven years of age is in the news this week following the publication of an article in the journal Paediatrics. It is a topic that has been debated for decades…. Experts are not certain about the factors driving the trend, which has been evident since the 1950s. Among the chief suspects are excess body fat which affects the level of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that trigger puberty; environmental chemicals; and the environment in the womb resulting from maternal characteristics — including first period before age 12, smoking during pregnancy, and being pregnant for the first time….

Another factor, cited by Leonard Sax in his book Girls On The Edge, is the absence of a girl’s biological father.

Read the rest on Mercatornet. [Not for younger readers.]