Adolescents News and Research

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Dietary emissions vary substantially across different stages of life

A new international study published in Nature Food reveals that age plays an important but often overlooked role in shaping global food-related greenhouse gas emissions.

22 Jul 2026

Childhood ultra-processed food intake associates with altered insulin responses

Researchers analyzed dietary and metabolic data from 508 nondiabetic Mexican American children in the SAFARI family cohort, finding that higher ultra-processed food scores were associated with lower insulin sensitivity and altered early insulin secretion measures. The exploratory cross-sectional study did not establish causality, and its multiple comparisons, historical dietary data, and questionnaire-based UPF estimates warrant confirmation in longitudinal studies and trials.

21 Jul 2026

Copper isotope shows promise for early childhood anemia detection

The rising incidence of anemia and overweight has been identified as a serious public health problem worldwide, especially among children and adolescents.

21 Jul 2026

Dexamphetamine and methylphenidate work similarly for ADHD but differ in weight effects

A head-to-head trial of ADHD treatments finds dexamphetamine and methylphenidate equally effective, with notable differences in weight management over time.

17 Jul 2026

Online harassment and screen time linked to suicidal thoughts

In the digital age, adolescents and young adults increasingly form social connections through online spaces, including social media, gaming and messaging platforms, which serve as venues for identity exploration, peer connection and emotional validation.

16 Jul 2026

Brain signals explain speech communication differences in autistic children

Why do some children with autism communicate more easily than others, even when they hear the same words?

16 Jul 2026

New body mass index could overcome limitations of BMI

The Consistent Body Mass Index (CBMI) offers a promising alternative to traditional BMI, aligning with waist-to-height ratio for better body size assessment.

16 Jul 2026

Social media restrictions for adolescents require broader systems approach

Amrit Kaur Purba and colleagues argue that social media restrictions operate within a wider system of adolescents, families, schools, governments, and commercial actors - and therefore should be treated as complex systems interventions rather than isolated behavioral policies.

15 Jul 2026

Experts recommend renaming PCOS to better reflect whole-body impacts

A condition affecting approximately 170 million adolescents and women worldwide has a new name – one that better reflects its complexity and far-reaching health impacts.

15 Jul 2026

Low-nicotine cigarettes do not cause increased compensatory smoking

People who switch to cigarettes with dramatically reduced nicotine levels are unlikely to smoke more cigarettes or inhale more smoke to compensate for the lower nicotine content, according to a new study led by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and published in JAMA Network Open.

15 Jul 2026

Biological markers reveal clinical vulnerability in abused children and adolescents

In children and adolescents who have experienced child abuse, the body appears to remain in a state of alert for too long, and this situation can affect several bodily systems, such as the neuroendocrine, immune and metabolic systems.

14 Jul 2026

Study: Bariatric surgery is safe, effective for obese adolescents and young adults

A new study from researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Metamor Institute demonstrates that metabolic and bariatric surgery can be delivered safely and effectively for adolescents and young adults living with severe obesity, offering promising improvements in weight loss and obesity-related health conditions.

13 Jul 2026

New study reveals why autistic teens struggle with sounds of unfamiliar voices

Just like other teenagers, many teens on the autism spectrum are itching to exercise their social muscles. They hope for new friends, fun with people who share their interests, maybe even a romantic relationship.

13 Jul 2026

New consensus provides updated guidance for managing prolactinoma tumors

Prolactinomas are the most common functional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, accounting for nearly half of all hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas.

13 Jul 2026

DNA study challenges assumptions about medieval shared family graves

When archaeologists find adults and children buried together in medieval graves, it is often assumed that they were members of the same family.

11 Jul 2026

Pediatric mental health treatment surged after the pandemic

When schools closed in the spring of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children and adolescents receiving mental health treatment in the United States fell by more than half.

9 Jul 2026

Tufts study shows global intake of healthy plant-based foods remains low among youth

Healthy plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes are the foundation of a healthy diet for anyone, no matter how old they are.

9 Jul 2026

Reduced sunshine linked to higher demand for mental health care

The study highlights the relationship between weather and mental health care use, suggesting routine weather patterns could forecast service demand effectively.

3 Jul 2026

Dutch study shows why plant-based eating can miss key nutrients

A Dutch dietary modeling study found that replacing major animal-based protein sources with plant-based substitutes reduced protein, EAA, vitamin, and mineral intake across age groups. Older adults, adolescents, children, and women were especially vulnerable to shortfalls, highlighting the need for planned substitutions, fortified foods, and age-specific dietary guidance.

3 Jul 2026

Botanical prebiotics may steer skin microbes toward healthier balance

Researchers tested plant-derived prebiotic candidates against selected skin-associated bacteria and found that garlic, flaxseed, and mango ginger extracts inhibited S. aureus or acne-associated C. acnes in vitro. Onion and guduchi extracts modestly promoted S. epidermidis, suggesting a microbiome-targeted skincare route that now needs validation in skin models and human studies.

30 Jun 2026