puberty

Age of onset of puberty appears to be linked to a child's risk of obesity. Children born to mothers who experienced an early puberty are far more likely to be obese (via BBC).

British pediatricians have released figures showing the prevalence of eating disorders among children.

Over 13 months 206 children under 12 were treated for an eating disorder. One particular case is disturbing; one six-year-old girl presented to a paediatrician with food avoidance, excessive exercising and fear of weight gain but had not been diagnosed with anorexia because she was not severely underweight.