Puberty Onset Influencing Factors - Anatomy & Physiology

Female Threshold Body Size

Nutritional intake of the newborn is directed towards body maintenance.
The priority of the neonate is to maintain vital physiological functions.
Non-essential processes, such as reproduction are of low priority.
As the neonate grows, energy consumption increases and the body mass increases with a relative decrease in body surface area.
This allows a shift in metabolic expenditure so that other physiological functions can develop.
The excess internal energy is converted to fat stores, and a priority is then placed on reproduction so the onset of puberty begins.
Fat accumulation alone does not determine the onset of puberty, but it is an important regulator.
All female mammals must reach a certain body size before the onset of puberty can be initiated.
Metabolic signals affect production of GnRH.