Children with 'Seongjosukjeung' experiencing growth plate closure increased 2.6 times in 10 years

The number of children experiencing precocious puberty, a condition where puberty occurs early, has increased 2.6 times over the past decade.

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According to data received by Park Heeseung, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the National Health Insurance Service, the number of patients with precocious puberty rose from 96,733 in 2014 to 251,599 last year, a 2.6-fold increase.

As of July this year, 194,803 people have been diagnosed with precocious puberty.

Precocious puberty is a condition where secondary sexual characteristics appear early. In girls, breast development before the age of 8, and in boys, enlargement of the testicles or development of pubic hair before the age of 9, may indicate the condition.

The causes of precocious puberty include Westernized eating habits, childhood obesity, and environmental hormones.

When divided by gender, most children experiencing precocious puberty were girls.

However, as the number of boys with precocious puberty has recently increased, the proportion of girls decreased from 91.9% in 2014 to 80.7% last year.

Assemblyman Park Heeseung stated, "If maturation occurs too rapidly, there is a risk that growth plates may close prematurely due to growth hormone imbalance, which can cause stress for children. Social attention is needed to ensure that early diagnosis and appropriate treatment prevent the condition from leading to various diseases."