Eating too much high-calorie and “empty calorie” food could cause early puberty in children, a doctor said.
Lin Chih-wei (林智葳), a doctor at Dr Chu’s Family Clinic in New Taipei City’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), on Thursday wrote about the issue on Facebook following reports that a skin cream product containing banned estrogens might have led to the onset of early puberty in children.
Endocrine disruptors — chemicals that can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones — are present in some containers, foods and dietary supplements, and the long-term use of products containing these chemicals can harm the body, including causing precocious puberty, he said.
When girls younger than eight and boys younger than nine undergo precocious puberty, their bodies develop adult features too early, which can lead to rapid growth spurts that might make them taller than children of the same age, but lead to the premature closure of growth plates that could cause them to be shorter than average adults, he said.
The condition could also cause girls to develop breasts early, he added.
Parents should consult with a pediatrician if they notice abnormal changes, Lin said, adding that the incidence of early puberty among girls is about 20 times that of boys.
Excessive intake of high-calorie foods, high-fat foods and being overweight are considered risk factors for precocious puberty, as long-term high calorie intake is associated with deteriorating insulin sensitivity and might disrupt the endocrine system, he said.
In Taiwan, the use of estrogens is banned in cosmetics, as although they might have anti-inflammatory effects, they can cause other adverse side effects, he said, adding that people should check the ingredients of cosmetics before purchasing them.
Excessive intake of certain natural foods might also cause adverse effects, such as chicken skin, chicken butt, yam, royal jelly, soy milk, animal intestines and deep sea fish, he said.
Before purchasing traditional herbal remedies for their children, parents should seek advice from a licensed Chinese medicine doctor, Lin said, adding that they should not buy random products from stores.
In addition, many disposable containers used for takeout food might release plasticizers such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate when exposed to high temperatures, and long-term intake of the substance might harm the health of adults and children, he said.
Lin advised people to choose plastic containers made of No. 5 plastics — polypropylene — which can withstand longer exposure to acidic or alkaline substances, and can resist temperatures up to 140°C.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS