How are growth spurts related to puberty?

• A. Growth spurts commonly occur early in puberty, leading to rapid height increase.
• B. They occur late in puberty.
• C. They do not occur in adolescence.
• D. They occur before puberty starts.

Answer: (D)

Growth spurts during adolescence are driven by puberty-related hormonal changes. As puberty begins, rising levels of sex hormones—estrogen in girls and a testosterone-derived estrogen in boys—stimulate the growth plates in long bones, producing a rapid increase in height. This adolescent growth spurt typically starts in early puberty and reaches its peak in early to mid-puberty, accounting for most of the height gain seen during adolescence. Because the major height surge aligns with the onset and early phase of puberty, it isn’t correctly described as occurring before puberty.