During Puberty Girls Grow Fast and Early Girls go through puberty about two years before boys, starting in early adolescence (10-11 on average). Unlike boys, their fastest rate of growth occurs early in puberty. They also gain more fat than boys in preparation for their menstrual cycle.
More significant weight gain is normal during the preadolescent ages of roughly 9 to 12 and adolescence – as a child matures into a young adult. It's not unusual for the body to store fat during this time as it prepares for the rapid growth and changes associated with puberty.
Noticeable weight gain may occur prior to a growth spurt as excess fat helps promote growth. As a child goes through puberty, their stores of body fat may change. For example, girls tend to gain more fatty tissue in the hips, thighs and buttocks, while boys may have an increase in fat on their stomachs.
Body shape – Another sign of puberty in girls is changing body shape, particularly extra fat in the belly area (some call it “baby fat”). Weight gain can cause anxiety for girls. This is part of normal development, and her body will redistribute the fat from the stomach and waist to the breast and hips.
Lean body mass in girls diminishes from approximately 80 percent to 75 percent by the end of puberty, while the amount of body fat increases. In comparison, the percentage of lean muscle mass in boys increases from about 80 percent to 90 percent by the time they reach adulthood.
Puberty – Increased hormones in a child's body during puberty (between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and between the ages of 12 and 16 for boys) leads to growth and possible expansion of “baby fat” areas. This typically takes place in girls' belly, breast area and hips. Boys' shoulders will get broader.
During Puberty Girls Grow Fast and Early
Unlike boys, their fastest rate of growth occurs early in puberty. They also gain more fat than boys in preparation for their menstrual cycle. They go from gaining about 5 pounds a year before puberty, to 12-23 pounds during puberty as shown below.
“Obesity incidence starts increasing in one's twenties and peaks at 40 to 59, and then decreases slightly after age 60,” says Craig Primack, MD, an obesity medicine physician at the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona.
The timing of weight gain is something to note as well. The growth spurt ages differ for boys and girls. During the start of puberty, around age 10 to 12, girls begin to see a lot of body changes.
Although the prevalence of obesity increases with age, weight gain is actually greatest across the younger years of adult life — late twenties and thirties — and diminishes gradually over time as adults get older, says Tucker.
The height of 10 year old girl can be generally around 54.5 inches. 10 Year Old Boy: Boys tend to weigh more than girls as they get older, but at this age the girls are heavier. Boys tend to weigh about 68 pounds (31kg) on average; normal range is anything from 57 to 100 pounds.
Understanding childhood weight problems
Those extra pounds put kids at risk for developing serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and asthma. Childhood obesity also takes an emotional toll. Overweight children often have trouble keeping up with other kids and joining in sports and activities.
In fact, many children shouldn't actually lose weight -- they should just maintain it as they grow taller or put on pounds more slowly. But if they have more severe obesity, espeically if they have obesity-related health conditions, your child's pediatrician may make a different recommendation.
A ten-year-old girl will weigh around 70.5 pounds (31.9 kilograms) on average by age ten. Girls can weigh anywhere from 53 to 102 pounds and yet be deemed healthy because of the wide variety of weight differences among children of this age.
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It's particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once considered adult problems — diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Puberty in women normally occurs between 11 and 14 years of age. If a child reaches a particular weight (around 45 kg or 100 lb), the onset of puberty is triggered. The heavier the child, the earlier puberty occurs, possibly affecting risk of later disease.
Most girls grow fastest about six months before they start their first period (menarche). You'll probably gain weight in puberty -- most girls do. You may notice more body fat along the upper arms, thighs, and upper back. Your hips will grow rounder and wider; your waist will become narrower.
Most females will start puberty when they're 8 to 13 years old, and most males will start between 9 and 14. But it can also be normal to start earlier or later. Hormones from the brain trigger the start of puberty. Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the body what to do.
Chubby cheeks, chubby hands, chubby belly: They make babies so huggable. But that pudgy appeal can quickly become a health concern. “It's normal for a child to slim down between ages 2 and 5,” says pediatrician Roy Kim, MD. “Your child will look their thinnest about the time they start kindergarten.”
In some children, weight spurts happen before height spurts. Other children just gain more weight than they need for their height. This is how children become overweight. Parents, family members, and friends can all help a child who is at risk of or has become overweight.
There are other reasons for a larger belly, like constipation, genetics, an unbalanced diet with too many sweets and treats or sugary drinks, and a lack of exercise.
It is normal for production of these hormones to increase (something we call adrenarche) and for pubic hair to appear after age 8 in girls or 9 in boys. The reason why this increase occurs earlier in some children is not known.
When your daughter starts to go through puberty, her gonads (ovaries) and adrenal glands (glands that sit on top of the kidneys) release hormones. These hormones cause the first signs of puberty, which are breast development, body odor, underarm hair, pubic hair and acne (pimples).