Longitudinal cohort study on pubertal development trajectories of testicular and breast development among children
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2026082
- VernacularTitle:儿童睾丸和乳房青春期发育进程轨迹纵向队列研究
- Author:
CHEN Tingjun, HU Hui, NING Zidi, ZHANG Ye, LU Ruoyu, WANG Xiaoman,〖JZ〗 ZHAO Anda, WANG Zeyu, LI Jinzhe, REN Yaping, YUAN Jiajun, SUN Ying, BAI Pinqing, LI Shenghui
1
Author Information
1. School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Adolescent development；Breast；Testis；Longitudinal studies；Growth and development;
Child
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2026;47(3):408-412
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To characterize longitudinal trajectories of testicular development in boys and breast development in girls, so as to provide reference data for understanding patterns of pubertal sexual maturation.
Methods:Based on the Shanghai Pudong New Area Cohort Study on Growth, Development and Health in Children and Adolescents, a baseline survey was conducted in 2020 using a mult stage cluster random sampling method. A total of 2 184 children who completed all follow ups during the primary school period from 13 elementary schools in Pudong New Area,Shanghai,with annual follow ups during 2021-2025. Testicular volume and Tanner stage of breast development were assessed by professional physicians using standardized visual inspection and palpation. The age distribution of testicular volume and breast development was fitted by using cumulative link mixed models and Turnbull s nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation method.
Results:Median ages for testicular volumes of 2, 3, 4 and 5 mL in boys were 7.07, 9.24, 10.29, and 11.57 years old, respectively. Median ages for Tanner breast stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ in girls were 8.55 , 10.17, 11.18, and 13.78 years old, respectively. Based on overweight and obesity, stratified analysis showed that earlier pubertal onset among overweight/obesity children, and the key milestones for pubertal initiation were testicular volume reaching 4 mL in boys and breast Tanner II in girls for 10.29, 10.83; 8.18, 9.00 years.
Conclusion:Overweight and obesity are associated with earlier pubertal initiation,but there are certain gender and developmental stage specific patterns.
