Thursday, May 14, 2026
Health - LEVEL2

Pandemic: Sharp Rise in Early Puberty Explained [ScienceAlert]

By aimee yang
Pandemic: Sharp Rise in Early Puberty Explained [ScienceAlert]

COVID caused health problems, like early puberty in kids. Some studies found more children having this issue recently. It might be linked to the virus or spending too much time on screens during lockdowns.

Researchers in Turkey suggested that using smartphones and tablets for long periods might be to blame. Exposure to blue light from screens could make hormones change sooner, causing early puberty in rats.

Our bodies react to blue light as a signal to wake up. This can mess with our hormones, like melatonin, which affects sleep and puberty. Studies on rats showed that more exposure to blue light led to early puberty signs.

Even though this was a rat study, it suggests that blue light from screens could be a risk factor for early puberty in children. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

This research was published in The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and Frontiers in Endocrinology.

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Puberty/ˈpjʊː.bər.ti/noun
The period during which children develop physically and sexually mature.

Exposure/ɪkˈspoʊ.ʒər/noun
The state of being exposed to something such as light or influence.

Hormones/ˈhɔːr.moʊnz/noun
Chemical substances produced in the body that regulate various physiological processes.

Melatonin/ˌmɛləˈtoʊnɪn/noun
A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles.

Research/rɪˈsɜːrʧ/noun
The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Link/lɪŋk/verb
To make a connection between different things or concepts.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

What is suggested as a possible cause of early puberty in children according to some studies?
COVID
Spending too much time on screens
Lack of exercise
Changes in diet
Which researcher suggested that using smartphones and tablets for long periods might contribute to early puberty?
Researchers in Turkey
Researchers in the US
Researchers in China
Researchers in Brazil
What does exposure to blue light from screens potentially do according to the text?
Cause early aging
May improve eyesight
Make hormones change sooner
Have no impact on health
What signals do our bodies react to blue light as?
A sign to sleep
A sign to wake up
A sign to eat
A sign to exercise
According to the research, what risk factor for early puberty in children is mentioned?
Excessive sugar intake
Blue light from screens
Lack of vitamin D
Regular exercise
Which journals were mentioned where this research was published?
The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine
The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and Frontiers in Endocrinology
Nature and Science
JAMA and Annals of Internal Medicine
COVID has no impact on health and does not cause any health problems according to the text.
Exposure to blue light from screens can have effects on hormones like melatonin.
The studies on rats mentioned in the text showed that less exposure to blue light led to early puberty signs.
More research is not needed to confirm the findings mentioned in the text.
Early puberty in children can also be linked to spending too much time on screens according to the text.
The research mentioned in the text was published in a journal related to astronomy.
Blue light exposure could make hormones change sooner, causing early puberty in .
More research is needed to confirm if blue light from screens could be a risk factor for early puberty in children according to the .
Exposure to blue light could potentially mess with hormones like .
Spending too much time on screens during lockdowns might be linked to health problems like early puberty in .
This research was published in The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and .
This question is required
aimee yang
aimee yanghttps://esl-news.com

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
Puberty/ˈpjʊː.bər.ti/noun
The period during which children develop physically and sexually mature.
Exposure/ɪkˈspoʊ.ʒər/noun
The state of being exposed to something such as light or influence.
Hormones/ˈhɔːr.moʊnz/noun
Chemical substances produced in the body that regulate various physiological processes.
Melatonin/ˌmɛləˈtoʊnɪn/noun
A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Research/rɪˈsɜːrʧ/noun
The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Link/lɪŋk/verb
To make a connection between different things or concepts.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

What is suggested as a possible cause of early puberty in children according to some studies?
COVID
Spending too much time on screens
Lack of exercise
Changes in diet
Which researcher suggested that using smartphones and tablets for long periods might contribute to early puberty?
Researchers in Turkey
Researchers in the US
Researchers in China
Researchers in Brazil
What does exposure to blue light from screens potentially do according to the text?
Cause early aging
May improve eyesight
Make hormones change sooner
Have no impact on health
What signals do our bodies react to blue light as?
A sign to sleep
A sign to wake up
A sign to eat
A sign to exercise
According to the research, what risk factor for early puberty in children is mentioned?
Excessive sugar intake
Blue light from screens
Lack of vitamin D
Regular exercise
Which journals were mentioned where this research was published?
The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine
The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and Frontiers in Endocrinology
Nature and Science
JAMA and Annals of Internal Medicine
COVID has no impact on health and does not cause any health problems according to the text.
Exposure to blue light from screens can have effects on hormones like melatonin.
The studies on rats mentioned in the text showed that less exposure to blue light led to early puberty signs.
More research is not needed to confirm the findings mentioned in the text.
Early puberty in children can also be linked to spending too much time on screens according to the text.
The research mentioned in the text was published in a journal related to astronomy.
Blue light exposure could make hormones change sooner, causing early puberty in .
More research is needed to confirm if blue light from screens could be a risk factor for early puberty in children according to the .
Exposure to blue light could potentially mess with hormones like .
Spending too much time on screens during lockdowns might be linked to health problems like early puberty in .
This research was published in The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and .
This question is required

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