ABSTRACT
Although general developmental sequences of puberty remain constant for typical adolescents, there can be great variability in terms of age of onset, duration, and pace of the events; therefore, adolescents of the same age may look very different physically. 3 For females, the first signs of puberty generally occur between the ages of 8 and 13, with an average age at menarche of 12.4 in the United States. The most rapid spurt of linear growth occurs between 9.5 and 14.5 years of age, and it is estimated that 15-25 % of final adult height is accomplished during this growth spurt of puberty. The linear growth spurt in females usually ends by the time they are 16.5 years of age. Additionally, by age 18, 90 % of adult skeletal mass will have accrued. 3
Nutritional intake affects age at menarche, height, weight, and bone mass and density, with the quality of nutrition playing a determining factor in whether adolescent females will be nutritionally sound and able to reach full growth potential. Given the large variability in growth among girls, the stage of their
development will dictate their nutritional needs, and thus, nutritional recommendations need to be tailored to each girl.
