Boys ‘reaching physical maturity at a faster pace’

Boys are becoming physically mature at a younger age than ever before, statistics compiled in a new study have shown.

Work carried out by Joshua Goldstein, director of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, revealed that the average age of male sexual maturity has fallen by approximately 2.5 months per decade for the last two centuries – the equivalent of two years per 100 years.

"The reason for earlier maturity for boys, as with girls, is probably because nutrition and disease environments are getting more favourable for it," commented Dr Goldstein.

He added that while it has been well-documented that girls are maturing more quickly, this is the first time there has been scientific proof that the same trend is taking place among males.

Meanwhile, a study linking low levels of vitamin D with early-onset menstruation in young girls has been published in the journal Science Daily.

Research carried out by the University of Michigan School of Public Health showed that girls who had low levels of the vitamin were twice as likely to being menstruating early, compared to those who had average levels.