Association of Traditional dietary pattern with early and precocious puberty: a population-based cross-sectional study

Xinlin Chen; Simao Fu; Chaojun Chen; Yawen Yuan; Zhibin Dai; Ang Chen; Bihong Zhang; Shijian Liu; Cuilan Lin

doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03110-w

Association of Traditional dietary pattern with early and precocious puberty: a population-based cross-sectional study

Pediatr Res. 2024 Mar 2. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03110-w. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xinlin Chen^#¹, Simao Fu^#², Chaojun Chen³, Yawen Yuan², Zhibin Dai², Ang Chen², Bihong Zhang², Shijian Liu⁴, Cuilan Lin⁵

Affiliations

¹ The Second School of Clinical Medical, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
² BoAi Hospital of Zhongshan Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, China.
³ Health Care Centre for Primary and Secondary Schools, Zhongshan, China.
⁴ Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. arrow64@163.com.
⁵ BoAi Hospital of Zhongshan Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, China. lincuilan2006@163.com.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 38431666
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03110-w

Abstract

Background: Precocious puberty is an endocrine disease that is diagnosed by sex, age, and Tanner stage of puberty. This study aimed to investigate the association between various dietary patterns and early or precocious puberty, especially Traditional dietary patterns, which have been rarely investigated.

Methods: A total of 4085 primary school students in grades 1-3 (6-9 years) completed individual characteristic surveys, health examinations, and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Physical examinations were also conducted to assess obesity and pubertal onset. Traditional, Westernized, and Protein dietary patterns were determined by factor analysis, and their associations with pubertal onset were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: Compared to the other two patterns, children who predominant the Traditional dietary pattern were protectively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55, 0.94), even after adjusting the confounders (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.89). Neither the Westernized nor Protein dietary pattern demonstrated an association with pubertal onset. The Traditional dietary pattern was negatively associated with children's weight status, classified by body mass index (BMI), and was positively associated with parental education. The maternal education and the Protein dietary pattern were negatively related.

Conclusions: Traditional dietary patterns were protective associated with early and precocious puberty among Chinese children.

Impact: The Traditional dietary pattern was protective associated with early puberty or precocious puberty in children, as found in large-scale population-based public health research. Current research primarily focuses on Westernized dietary patterns, and we studied Traditional dietary patterns to further explore the influence of food on children's puberty development. We discovered that children's preference for Traditional dietary patterns is protective of pubertal development, which implies that society and parents can benefit from diet guidance to protect children's natural development during adolescence.