Association between ambient air pollution exposure and pubertal development: An ecological study.
Diego Rivas-Otero1, Tomás González-Vidal1, Cristina Rodríguez-Dehli2
1Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Central University Hospital of Asturias/University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Health Research Institute of Principality of Asturias/Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
Endocrinologia, Diabetes Y Nutricion
|May 12, 2026
Summary
Rising precocious puberty (PP) rates may be linked to air pollution. This study found a correlation between carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and overall PP incidence in Spanish children.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Increasing incidence of precocious puberty (PP) raises concerns about contributing factors.
- Ambient air pollutants are hypothesized to influence the timing of puberty.
- This study investigates the relationship between air quality and PP in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between exposure to ambient air pollutants and the incidence of precocious puberty (PP) and normal variants of puberty (NVP).
- To analyze the correlation between specific air pollutants and PP diagnoses in a pediatric population in Spain.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective ecological study design in Asturias, Spain (2021-2024).
- Inclusion of children ≤9 years diagnosed with PP or NVP.
- Analysis of air pollutant data (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, O3, NO, NOx) from the two years preceding diagnosis, linked to monitoring stations and categorized by exposure levels (high/low).
Main Results:
- Overall PP incidence showed positive correlations with carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
- No statistically significant associations were found between central PP incidence and any specific air pollutant.
- A trend suggested a positive correlation between central PP incidence and CO exposure, with higher incidence in high-exposure areas for all pollutants, though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a potential environmental role of air pollution in the development of precocious puberty.
- Further investigation with larger, longitudinal studies is warranted to confirm these associations.
- Highlights the need to explore environmental influences on pubertal timing.
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