Adolescents News and Research

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Sexual activities other than intercourse carry risk of HIV, other STIs, study finds

Sexual activities other than intercourse carry some risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to a report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published recently in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reuters reports.

4 Sep 2008

The impact of soft drink availability in elementary schools on consumption

The consumption of soft drinks is generally considered to be a contributing factor in childhood obesity. Because children spend a substantial amount of time at school, the school food environment plays a central part in shaping eating behaviors.

2 Sep 2008

Shots are nothing to shy away from with the right approach

"Getting shots may seem burdensome and even downright scary to some children, but they protect children against dangerous and deadly diseases."

28 Aug 2008

Alcohol's effects on childbearing onset across reproductive development

Alcohol use during the teen years can not only lead to subsequent alcohol problems, it can also lead to risky sexual behavior and a greater risk of early childbearing. An examination of the relationship between a lifetime history of alcohol dependence (AD) and timing of first childbirth across reproductive development has found that AD in women is associated with delayed reproduction.

20 Aug 2008

Teens with poor sleep habits may have higher blood pressure

In new research, the sleeping habits of teenagers has come under scrutiny and has found that not getting enough sleep may be linked to a rise in their blood pressure.

18 Aug 2008

Top Sydney hospital appoints specialist to treat childhood obesity

As Australian children appear to be getting increasingly overweight one of the country's top hospitals has taken the apparently unprecedented step of appointing a specialist to treat childhood obesity.

18 Aug 2008

The effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health

Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the many aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content, and bone area. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health.

13 Aug 2008

Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop short-sightedness

"The results of this study are consistent with an American study which found that outdoor sport was protective, however our study shows that the crucial feature is being outdoors irrespective of the activity you are doing."

11 Aug 2008

Dartmouth researchers question effectiveness of current movie-rating system

In a paper published in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics, Dartmouth researchers document the alarming numbers of young adolescents age 10-14 who are exposed to graphic violence in movies rated R for violence.

4 Aug 2008

New HIV infections, deaths from AIDS-related causes down; epidemic not over

The number of deaths worldwide from AIDS-related causes decreased by 10% in 2007 to two million, compared with 2.2 million in 2006, according to UNAIDS' 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, which was released Tuesday ahead of the XVII International AIDS Conference, the Los Angeles Times reports (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 7/30).

3 Aug 2008

USAID to tackle HIV/AIDS and literacy in Haiti

Increasing literacy and curbing HIV/AIDS is the centerpiece of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) new three-year effort designed to stabilize parts of Haiti plagued by community unrest.

29 Jul 2008

Too much sleep increases the risk of stroke in older women

Researchers in the United States have found that for older women too much or too little sleep increases their risk of a stroke.

21 Jul 2008

Tobacco industry manipulates menthol levels to attract young people

Research released today in the American Journal of Public Health found evidence that the tobacco industry has manipulated menthol levels and created new cigarette brands with the intention of gaining market share among young adults and adolescents.

17 Jul 2008

Forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos are significantly more likely to suffer from ASPD

The presence of tattoos on forensic psychiatric inpatients should alert clinicians to a possible diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), and also about the potential for histories of suicide attempt, substance abuse, and sexual abuse, according to research published in the UK Journal 'Personality and Mental Health'.

16 Jul 2008

Children's physical activity drops from age 9 to 15

The activity level of a large group of American children dropped sharply between age 9 and age 15, when most failed to reach the daily recommended activity level, according to the latest findings from a long-term study by the National Institutes of Health.

15 Jul 2008

Does this make me look fat?

The peer groups teenage girls identify with determine how they decide to control their own figure. So reports a new study by Dr. Eleanor Mackey from the Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, and her colleague Dr. Annette La Greca from the University of Miami.

13 Jul 2008

Talking about sex to teenagers

Sex is one of the most difficult topics a parent can bring up with an adolescent, but a new study finds that parents who are taught specific communication skills can more readily tackle these conversations and sustain them over time.

10 Jul 2008

Genetic change in dopamine transporter supports a role for dopamine signaling in ADHD

A genetic change in the dopamine transporter - one of the brain's dopamine-handling proteins - makes it behave as if amphetamine is present and "run backward," Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators report this week in The Journal of Neuroscience.

9 Jul 2008

Experts call for sex education for 4 year olds

Leading British charities are calling for sex education to be taught to children as young as four in an attempt to bring down the rising rates of abortion and sexually transmitted infections.

7 Jul 2008

Sex during adolescence doesn't predict future HPV infection

Predicting a child's future is a near impossible task - today's straight-A student may not become tomorrow's doctor, and the school-yard bully may actually grow up to become a member of the Peace Corps.

7 Jul 2008