Puberty and Athletic Sports in Female Adolescents

The increasing involvement of young children in intense physical training over the past several decades has generated concerns as to its potential eff ects on children’s growth and maturation. Puberty in humans is characterized by large hormonal changes resulting in both physical and sexual maturation. Since intense training prior to puberty, together with the potential metabolic eff ects of dieting, can alter hypothalamic-pituitary function, the time at which athletic training is initiated has been implicated as a factor in delayed menarche and sexual maturation in female athletes. On the other hand, some studies have suggested that delayed menarche is likely due to genetic factors. Girls who mature later often self-select or are recruited by coaches into sports that favor small or very lean bodies. Body composition has also been used to explain both delayed menarche and menstrual irregularities observed among elite athletes. A higher prevalence of menstrual dysfunction has been reported for adolescent athletes participating in weight-dependent sports as compared to that observed in other sports. However, as recently suggested, there is no direct cause-eff ect association Nota Klentrou, PhD Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology Brock University St. Catharines, Ont. L6L 3M7 (Canada) Tel. +1 905 688 5550/ext. 4538, Fax +1 905 688 8364, E-Mail [email protected] © 2006 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel 0517–8606/06/0642–0085$23.50/0 Accessible online at: www.karger.com/ane D ow nl oa de d by : 54 .7 0. 40 .1 1 11 /2 7/ 20 17 1 2: 23 :0 6 P M