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Results for search "Adolescents / Teens".

21 Oct

More Teens Are Using Protein Supplements to Boost Muscle Growth

A new poll from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital finds a growing number of teens are using protein bars, shakes and powders for everything from muscle growth to weight loss.

Health News Results - 421

Weight-Loss Surgery for Teens Brings Lasting Benefit

Hillary Fisher thinks receiving weight-loss surgery as a teenager put her on the path to a better life.

Fisher is one of 260 teens who participated in a long-term study which recently concluded that weight-loss surgery can bring lasting health benefits for obese teenagers.

“It changed my life,” Fisher, now 31, said in a news release. “The improved health and self-e...

Half of U.S. Teens Stare at Screens More Than 4 Hours Per Day

Half of young Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 spend at least four hours each day on their smartphones, computers or televisions, a new survey shows.

"As technology has become more integrated into teenagers’ lives, the time spent in front of screens has continued to rise in the United States," noted a team of researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventio...

Marijuana Use Has Fallen 'Dramatically' Among U.S. Teens

Weed use among U.S. teenagers fell dramatically over the past decade, a new study shows.

By 2021, only about 16% of teens said they were currently using marijuana, down from 23% in 2011, researchers found.

All grades experienced a notable decline in current weed use, particularly among ninth graders, researchers said.

Further, the percentage of kids who tried weed for the firs...

Most Young Americans Worry About Climate Change, Survey Finds

An overwhelming majority of teens and young adults are worried about how climate change will affect their future, a new survey has found.

About 85% of 16- to 25-year-olds are worried about the impact of climate change on people and the planet, according to the survey of nearly 16,000 people from all 50 states.

That includes nearly all who identify as Democrats (96%), as well as over...

Many Teens Using Protein Bars, Shakes to Boost Muscle

Teenagers are increasingly turning to protein-packed bars, shakes and powders to help them add muscle to their frames, a new study shows.

Two in five parents say their teen consumed protein supplements in the past year, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

Teen boys more commonly turned to protei...

Vaping Rates Hit Record Lows for U.S. High School Students

Is vaping finally losing its coolness for American teens?

The latest tally of federal data finds that 550,000 school kids, mostly high schoolers, quit using e-cigarettes in 2024.

Vaping rates fell from 10% of high school students in 2023 to 7.8% this year, "reachi...

GLP-1 Weight-Loss Meds Won't Raise Teens' Suicide Risk, May Even Lower It

As with any new drug, parents and doctors may worry that the use of GLP-1 weight-loss meds by children and teens might raise psychiatric risks, including the risk for suicide and suicidal thoughts.

But a new study involving more than 54,000 U.S. adolescents found no such link.

In fact, obese kids who used the drugs had a 33% decline in their risk for thoughts of suicide and suicide...

Why Friendships in Your Teen Years Are So Important

Friendships forged during a person’s turbulent teenage years lay the essential foundation for their happiness later in life, a new study suggests.

Being broadly accepted by peers in early adolescence and forming close connections as an older teen both predict how ...

Hospital Drug Tests Far More Likely for Minority Teens

Teens from minority groups seeking treatment at pediatric trauma centers are more likely than their white counterparts to be tested for drugs and alcohol.

That's the takeaway from a new study led by researchers at UCLA and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. 

"While screening can positively affect patients if it is followed by counseling and treatment, it can also lead to negative...

Prediabetes in Teens Could Raise Odds for Complicated Pregnancies Later

If a woman is already in a "prediabetic" state in her teen or college years, her odds for a serious complication of pregnancy later in life rises, new research shows.

Ignoring prediabetes in teenagers "may represent a missed opportunity to avert pregnancy-related complications" later, said study lead author Katharine McCarthy

Pandemic Isolation May Have Caused Rapid Brain Aging in Teen Girls

New research uncovers a possible reason why teenaged girls struggled so mightily with their mental health during the pandemic: Scans showed their brains aged far faster than expected during that stressful time, even faster than the brains of their male peers.

In the study, published Monday in the

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 10, 2024
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  • U.S. Youth Vaping Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade

    Just 5.9% of American middle and high school students now vape, a big drop from the 7.7% who did so a year ago, new government data shows.

    Put another way, about 1.6 million youth now say they used e-cigarettes at least once over the past month, compared to 2.1 million in 2023.

    Among those who say they vape, 23.6% said they do it on a daily basis.

    It was high school kids who ...

    Depressed Adolescents Twice as Likely to Take Up Vaping

    A survey of Australian adolescents finds those who are experiencing depressive symptoms have double the risk of taking up vaping.

    “In the short term, nicotine may reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, and young people may be reaching for vapes as a coping mechanism," said study co-author

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 3, 2024
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  • Text Message Program Helps Teens at Risk for Suicide

    Kids considering suicide after receiving mental health care at a hospital can be helped by automated text messages that help them feel hopeful and supported, a new study finds.

    Children receiving the texts as part of a program called Caring Contacts said they felt more positive after receiving the messages.

    “Prior research has shown that patients are around 300 times more at r...

    Text Messaging Can Help Teens Kick the Vaping Habit

    An interactive text-message support program can help teenagers quit vaping, a groundbreaking new clinical trial finds.

    Teens who subscribed to the anonymous program, called This Is Quitting, were 35% more likely to report not vaping nicotine by the end of a seven-month study, researchers reported Aug. 7 in the

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2024
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  • Fewer U.S. Teen Girls Are Reporting 'Persistent Sadness'

    There's a hint of good news for parents concerned about teen mental health: After 57% of U.S. teen girls surveyed in 2021 said they felt "persistent sadness," that number declined somewhat by 2023, to 53%, new government data shows.

    In the latest biennial poll of over 20,000 high school students nationwide, called the

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 6, 2024
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  • Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. Adolescents Are Getting Mental Health Treatment

    In findings that suggest more young Americans struggling with mental health issues are getting the help they need, a new poll shows that nearly a third of American adolescents and teens received some sort of mental health treatment in 2023.

    That translates to over 8 million young people between the ages of 12 and 17 getting counseling, medication or another treatment, the

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 31, 2024
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  • Screens, Tweens and Sleep: Study Uncovers Tips for Better Rest

    Turning off smartphones is an important step in making sure tweens get the sleep they need, a new study says.

    Leaving a phone ringer on is associated with a 25% higher risk of sleep disturbance among tweens ages 11 and 12, according to a new report published July 22 in the

    Big Drop in U.S. Kids, Teens Misusing Prescription Meds

    Misuse of illicit prescription drugs is falling dramatically among U.S. high school students, a new study says.

    The percentage of seniors who say they’ve misused prescription drugs in the past year has dropped to 2% in 2022, down from 11% back in 2009, researchers reported July 24 in the ...

    One Emotion Drives Teens to Scroll Through Instagram

    Boredom is the key emotion behind most teens’ use of Instagram, a new study says.

    Teens open the app because they’re bored, then sift through its contents looking for interesting bits to relieve their boredom, researchers report.

    Then, bored by slogging through the site’s “content soup,” the teens log off, researchers found.

    “We saw teens...

    Parents, Take Note: Survey Shows Teens Need More Support Than They Get

    As millions of American teens continue to struggle with their mental health, a new survey reveals a sizable gap between how much support teens say they get and how much support their parents think they are getting.

    In the report, published Tuesday by the National Center for Health Statistics, just over a quarter of teens said t...

    FDA Rescinds Ban on Juul E-Cigarettes

    A ban on Juul e-cigarettes has been reversed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.

    Why? The agency said it needs to review both new court decisions and updated data from the vape maker. While the company's e-cigarettes are back under review, they have not been fully cleared for sale in this country, the FDA said in its 

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 7, 2024
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  • Close-knit Family, Community Key to Teens Delaying Sex

    Teenagers who are part of close-knit neighborhoods and families are less likely to have sex at a young age, a new study has found.

    On the other hand, teens' schools have less influence on their sexual behavior, researchers report.

    "Our results echo other studies' findings on the importance of families and neighborhoods in protecting youth from risky behaviors, and show that feeling ...

    Too Many Teens Are Driving Drowsy

    Teens on the verge of falling asleep behind the wheel is a common threat to public safety on U.S. roadways, a new study reports.

    About 1 in 6 teenage drivers say they've driven while drowsy, according to a National Sleep Foundation study presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Houston. The research was also published in a special supplem...

    Use of GLP-1 Meds Have Risen 7-Fold Among Young Americans

    The number of American teens and young adults who've been prescribed one of the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs soared nearly seven-fold between 2020 and 2023, a new report finds.

    That's compared to an overall decline of about 3% in young Americans' use of other types of prescription meds.

    But how safe are drugs like Ozempic,

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 22, 2024
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  • Teen Cannabis Users' Risk for Psychosis May Be Stronger Than Thought: Study

    Doctors have long known that excessive marijuana use can trigger psychosis, especially in the young. But new research suggests the link is stronger that ever imagined before.

    Teens who use cannabis face 11 times the odds for a psychotic episode compared to teens who abstain from the drug, new Canadian research contends.

    The teen years may be an especially vulnerable time in this re...

    1 in 4 Parents Say Their Teen Drinks Caffeine Daily

    Many teens are spending their days buzzed on caffeine, with their parents mostly unaware of the potential risks, a new national poll says.

    A quarter of parents reported that caffeine is basically part of their teen's daily life, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health released Monday.

    Two out of three parents sa...

    Vaping Rates Fall Among Teens, But Still Too High

    Vaping rates among U.S. kids in grades 9 through 12 fell to 5% in 2021, the latest year for which data is available.

    That's down from a peak of 7.2% of teens who vaped in 2019, a new report finds.

    However, the 5% vaping rate observed in 2021 is still more than do...

    Popular Teens (Especially Girls) May Get Less Sleep

    Popular teens pay a price for being so well-liked by their peers, a new study shows.

    The popular crowd are less likely to get the 8 to 10 hours of sleep recommended for teenagers each night, researchers found.

    In fact, the more popular a teen is, the less time they spend snoozing, results show.

    The most popular teens tend to sleep up to 27 minutes less each night than their pe...

    Another Teen Vaping Danger: Toxic Lead, Uranium

    Teens who vape frequently are exposing themselves to harmful metals like lead and uranium, a new study finds.

    Lead levels in urine are 40% higher among intermittent vapers and 30% higher among frequent vapers, compared to occasional vapers, results show.

    And urinary levels of uranium we...

    'Dream It, Be It?' Study Finds Teens Who Focus on Life Goals Often Succeed

    "Dream it, be it"might sound like a cliche, but a new study says there's something to the notion.

    Teenagers who set ambitious goals for themselves tend to be more successful as young adults, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

    Parents, You Can Ease a Teen's Stress Around Standardized Tests

    Standardized tests put a lot of pressure on teenagers who want to secure their future and make their parents and teachers proud.

    This stress can lead to symptoms like stomach aches, sleep problems, irritability and heightened emotionality, experts say.

    But there are concrete steps students can take to prepare for a standardized test while also keeping their cool.

    Live ...

    Teens with Anxiety, Mood Disorders Less Likely to Get Driver's License

    Teenagers suffering from anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder are likely to have a tougher time getting their driver's license, a new study finds.

    Teens and young adults with these types of mood disorders are 30% less likely to obtain a driver's license than peers without a mood disorder...

    Steady Rise in U.S. Suicides Among Adolescents, Teens

    U.S. rates of suicide by all methods rose steadily for adolescents between 1999 and 2020, a new analysis shows.

    During those two decades, over 47,000 Americans between the ages 10 and 19 lost their lives to suicide, the report found, and there have been sharp increases year by year.

    Girls and minority adolescents have charted especially steep increases in suicides, said a team le...

    Body Dysmorphia Affects Many Teens, Especially Girls

    Many teens"especially girls"are affected by body dysmorphic disorder, a condition in which they become obsessed with perceived flaws in their personal appearance, a new study shows.

    BDD affects about two in every 100 teens (1.9%), according to a report published March 17 in the Journal of the American Academy of C...

    Weed Plus Cigarettes Takes Toll on High Schoolers' Grades

    High school students who use tobacco and cannabis products miss more school and have lower grades than classmates who use them individually or not at all.

    That's the conclusion of a study by researchers at UC Davis Health.

    "Substance use is a main predictor of educational outcomes, including absenteeism," said first study author

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 18, 2024
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  • Use of Legal 'Delta-8-THC' Is Rising Among Teens - Is it Safe?

    They're cheap, easy to buy and now new research shows they have become the buzz of choice for American teens.

    Delta-8-THC products, which include gummies and vapes, are legal in 22 states and Washington, D.C. There is no federal minimum age requirement for buying them, and they are sold in gas stations, chain drug stores and online. 

    That has made the products a marketing magne...

    Medical Costs for Kids' Mental Health Jumped 31% in 5 Years

    The cost to American families of caring for a child with a mental health condition rose by almost a third between 2017 and 2021, a new report finds, to an average $4,361 per year. 

    Overall, American families spent an estimated $31 billion in 2021 on child mental health services, which now make up nearly half (about 47%) of all child medical spending, the report found.

    The findi...

    How After-School Programs Can Harm Teens' Mental Health

    Days clogged with numerous after-school activities are detrimental to the mental health of over-scheduled high school students, a new study finds.

    Researchers also found that these "enrichment' activities -- tutoring, sports, school clubs and even homework -- are unlikely to benefit students academically.

    Many folks think extra study time or tutoring will lead to better grades, but ...

    Vaping, Skipping Breakfast Ups Headache Risk for Teens

    Vaping and skipped meals appear to be the main causes of frequent headaches among teens, a new study says.

    Teens who ate breakfast and dinner with their family had a lower risk of frequent headaches than those who regularly missed meals, researchers report Feb. 28 in the journal Neurology.

    Meanwhile, vaping also was associated with frequent headaches for those 12 to 17, res...

    Firsthand Experience of Climate Change Disasters Is Stressing Teens

    Weather disasters driven by climate change are stressing out U.S. teenagers, a new study warns.

    Teens with the most firsthand experience of events like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, droughts and wildfires were more likely to show signs of mental distress than peers who hadn't been confronted with the effects of climate change, researchers report.

    "We know that climate change has an...

    More Kids, Teens May Be Taking Multiple Psychiatric Meds

    A study of mental health care in Maryland finds an increasing number of children and teens covered by Medicaid are taking multiple psychiatric meds.

    This trend towards "polypharmacy" might be happening elsewhere, prior research suggests.

    In the new study, Maryland kids ages 17 or younger experienced "a 4% increased odds of psychotropic polypharmacy per year from 2015 to 2020," repor...

    Being Bullied in Childhood More Than Triples Risk of Mental Health Struggles Later

    When bullies destroy a young victim's trust, mental health problems are likely to follow them into adulthood, a new study warns.

    "There are few public health topics more important than youth mental health right now," said senior study author George Slavich, director of UCLA Health's Laboratory for Stress Assessment ...

    Could Bullying Raise a Teen's Odds for Psychosis?

    The Pearl Jam song "Jeremy"tells the story of a boy driven mad by bullies who commits suicide in front of his classroom.

    The song might reflect a real and ongoing threat to teens' mental health, new research suggests.

    Teens being bullied face a greater risk of early-stage psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or paranoia, according to findings published recently in the journal ...

    High School Kids Who Use Weed, Alcohol Face Higher Risks for Suicidal Thoughts

    High school students who smoke, drink or use weed are more likely to be emotionally troubled and have suicidal thoughts, a new study finds.

    Teens who turn to nicotine, alcohol or marijuana are more likely to think about suicide, feel depressed or anxious, have psychotic episodes and exhibit inattention or hyperactivity, researchers report Jan. 29 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

    Social Withdrawal in Kids, Teens May Signal Higher Suicide Risk Later: Study

    If your preteen or teen skips school activities and social events, it may be more than the typically moody behavior of adolescence, new research warns.

    Being socially withdrawn and having physical discomforts such as headaches, nausea or stomachaches as a preteen may boost the risk of having suicidal thoughts by age 16, researchers report.

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 26, 2024
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  • These Traits Help Keep College Kids Happy

    College freshmen who are more outgoing and agreeable -- and less moody -- are more likely to feel a sense of belonging at their new school, new research has found.

    Those personality traits could result in better academic performance and better mental health during college, the study authors concluded.

    However, two other important personality traits -- conscientiousness and openness ...

    Stressed Teens at Risk of Heart Trouble Years Later

    Stressed-out teens are likely to have more heart health risk factors in adulthood, a new study says.

    Teens with elevated stress levels tended to have high blood pressure, obesity and other heart risk factors as they aged, compared to those teens with less stress, researchers found.

    "Our findings suggest that perceived stress patterns over time have a far-reaching effect on various c...

    Loud Video Games Put Users at Risk for Hearing Loss, Tinnitus

    For the more than 3 billion gamers around the world, the loud noises they experience while playing video games could threaten their hearing, a new review suggests.

    Whether on the couch, parked at a computer desk or in an arcade, studies have shown the noise from video games often exceeds levels deemed safe for a person's hearing, according to the report published Jan. 16 in the journal

    Addiction Treatment for Teens in Crisis Is Often Hard to Find

    A 'secret shopper' study finds that for many American families, accessing inpatient treatment for a teen battling addiction can be next to impossible.

    "If you are a family in crisis and you have a kid for whom outpatient treatment is not an option, you hope to be able to call the closest residential facility to you and have access to timely, safe, affordable care for your child,"said stud...

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