Pediatric and Adolescent Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Pediatric Unit, "V. Buzzi" Children's Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy.
Nutrients. 2021 Jan 28;13(2):419. doi: 10.3390/nu13020419.
Puberty is a crucial developmental stage in the life span, necessary to achieve reproductive and somatic maturity. Timing of puberty is modulated by and responds to central neurotransmitters, hormones, and environmental factors leading to hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis maturation. The connection between hormones and nutrition during critical periods of growth, like fetal life or infancy, is fundamental for metabolic adaptation response and pubertal development control and prediction. Since birth weight is an important indicator of growth estimation during fetal life, restricted prenatal growth, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA), may impact endocrine system, affecting pubertal development. Successively, lactation along with early life optimal nutrition during infancy and childhood may be important in order to set up timing of sexual maturation and provide successful reproduction at a later time. Sexual maturation and healthy growth are also influenced by nutrition requirements and diet composition. Early nutritional surveillance and monitoring of pubertal development is recommended in all children, particularly in those at risk, such as the ones born SGA and/or IUGR, as well as in the case of sudden weight gain during infancy. Adequate macro and micronutrient intake is essential for healthy growth and sexual maturity.
青春期是生命历程中的一个关键发育阶段，是实现生殖和躯体成熟所必需的。青春期的时间由中枢神经递质、激素和环境因素调节，并对其产生反应，从而导致下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴成熟。在生长的关键时期，如胎儿期或婴儿期，激素和营养之间的联系对于代谢适应反应以及青春期发育的控制和预测至关重要。由于出生体重是胎儿期生长估计的重要指标，因此宫内生长受限（IUGR）和小于胎龄儿（SGA）等受限的产前生长可能会影响内分泌系统，从而影响青春期发育。随后，婴儿期和儿童期的哺乳以及早期最佳营养对于设定性成熟时间以及以后成功繁殖至关重要。营养需求和饮食成分也会影响性成熟和健康生长。建议所有儿童，特别是那些有风险的儿童，如 SGA 和/或 IUGR 出生的儿童，以及在婴儿期体重突然增加的儿童，进行早期营养监测和青春期发育监测。充足的宏量和微量营养素摄入对于健康生长和性成熟至关重要。
