Experts warn that emphasising timing alone overlooks crucial influences like nutrition, mental health, and lifestyle, which can significantly alter adolescent growth and development.
Puberty is often treated as a simple question of timing, but specialists say it is better understood as a broader period of growth shaped by more than heredity alone. Hoang Thi Ai Nhi, deputy head of nutrition and dietetics at Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, told Thanh Nien that nutrition, exercise, sleep, chronic illness, mental health and the living environment all play a part in how children move through pre-puberty and adolescence. She said the aim is not just to grow taller on schedule, but to reach a child’s full potential in height, bone strength, metabolic health, reproductive function and emotional stability.
That point is echoed in medical guidance from Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and the MSD Manual, which all note that genetics strongly influence growth, but diet, disease and other environmental pressures can alter both the pace and pattern of development. The National Center for Biotechnology Information has also reported that chronic stress can affect the neuroendocrine system, changing the timing of growth and puberty. In practical terms, that means a child who appears to be developing unevenly may need closer attention than a parent might expect.
Nhi said doctors are increasingly seeing children who are overweight yet still lacking key micronutrients, a pattern she described as excess energy but shortage of vitamins and minerals. She pointed to diets heavy in soft drinks, bubble tea, sweets, fast food and highly processed products, but low in protein, calcium and vitamin D. She also warned that excess weight can raise the risk of insulin resistance, metabolic disorders and fatty liver, while poor sleep, inactivity and heavy screen use can further undermine growth. Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day during adolescence, while its guidance on sleep stresses the importance of 9 to 12 hours a night for healthy development.
The advice from Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children is to build puberty support around balance rather than pressure: regular meals from all four food groups, quality protein from meat, fish, eggs and milk, enough healthy fat to help the body absorb vitamin D and calcium, and less reliance on sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods. Nhi also urged parents to keep children moving for 30 to 60 minutes a day, encourage sleep before 10 p.m. and watch height, weight and signs of pubertal development closely. Just as important, she said, is emotional support, since puberty happens only once and children need guidance that helps them enter adulthood with confidence rather than anxiety.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
