Childhood obesity in the United States has become an increasing problem in recent years. Christina Bethell of the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and colleagues analyzed data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health and found the rate of obesity for children 10 to 17 increased from 14.8 percent in 2003 to 16.4 percent in 2007. Recent
Read moreJust like adults, teens suffer from stress in many different ways. For many people, food can become one way of dealing with stress. We have an obesity epidemic from overeating, and on the other extreme, we have too many teenagers who suffer from drastic weight loss – both of which have a very negative impact on a teen’s health. Eating
Read moreSleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing. Anyone who wants to do well on a test or play sports without tripping over their feet should realize that the right amount of sleep is critical. Most of us are aware that our bodies require that precious resource, but all too often sleep is the first thing we cut out
Read moreWe adults often feel the stress of the holidays or get the blues during the winter. But sometimes we forget or don’t realize that teens get those feelings, too. The same things that can cause our stress, can bring about stress for adolescents as well: Hectic schedule Financial stress Increased family conflict or misunderstanding Crowds Pressure to live up to
Read moreAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 3,000 young people become regular smokers every day, which means that 1 in 5 teens smoke cigarettes. The American Lung Association estimates that every minute four thousand eight hundred teens will take their first drag off a cigarette. Of those, about two thousand will go on to be
Read moreOh, no… “the talk”. I don’t think there’s an adult around that feels really excited to discuss the “birds and bees” with a child. But our children need us to be responsible adults and teach them so that they can grow and act responsibly too. Here are a few myths often sited by parents about “the sex talk”: 1. Kids
Read moreSometimes in our worry over the many issues facing youth (sex, drugs, gangs, etc.), we adults forget to focus on one of the most basic of needs: proper nutrition. “You are what you eat” we always say… does that mean that teens are McDonald’s cheeseburgers? Are they french fries, pizza, soda? Maybe teens eat all those cookies because they’re sweet?
Read more