Adolescents News and Research

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High adolescent BMI linked to faster biological aging in adulthood

A study by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, found that a high adolescent body mass index (BMI) may be linked to accelerated biological aging in adulthood.

21 Sep 2026

CPS-involved students face higher rates of school absenteeism

Across the country, kids are settling into new school year routines. Parents buy backpacks, teachers arrange desks and lesson plans, and friends reconnect.

18 Sep 2026

Eight-weekly HIV injections prove more effective than daily tablets for young people

Young people living with HIV manage their condition better when their antiretroviral therapy is given by injections every eight weeks, rather than in the form of daily tablets, according to the results of a trial in Africa led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

17 Sep 2026

Morning speech therapy benefits young people with childhood apraxia

For young people with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), a disorder that affects the brain's ability to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech, speech difficulties can persist well beyond childhood.

16 Sep 2026

New ADA grant funds AI mobile tool to prevent teen diabetes

It's well-known that obesity and the cardiometabolic diseases that it can lead to continues to be a major concern among the nation's teens, affecting more than 1 in 5.

16 Sep 2026

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

Interaction with miniature animals improves the mood of adolescents

Interacting with animals can make people feel calmer and less lonely and anxious. A new study from the University of California, Davis, shows that animals play an active role in shaping these interactions and their outcomes.

15 Sep 2026

Reading for pleasure linked to better mental health and greater empathy

Reading for pleasure – from tucking into a Jane Austen classic to devouring a Heartstopper graphic novel – is linked to better mental health, greater empathy and a lower risk of dementia, say researchers.

15 Sep 2026

Adolescent cannabis use disorder diagnoses rise after legalization

New diagnoses of cannabis use disorder (CUD) among adolescents in Northern California began climbing after recreational cannabis was legalized in California in 2016, reversing a steady decline in the three years prior, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction.

15 Sep 2026

Video game offers new insights into autistic perception

People with autism often come at life from a different angle-seeing details others miss, focusing on patterns rather than faces, experiencing heightened or dimmed physical sensations.

11 Sep 2026

Proteomic signatures reveal early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease in children

Researchers at Vanderbilt Health, UTHealth Houston and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified early signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic disease (CKMD) in children as young as 8 years old that potentially can be reversed with a new class of weight loss drugs used widely by adults

11 Sep 2026

Experts call for gradual independence before children reach adolescence

As thousands of children start secondary school, experts have called for children to be given more opportunities for independence before they hit adolescence.

10 Sep 2026

Non-nutritive sweeteners may aid sugar reduction without affecting weight or health

The review, led by Eva Marija Čad of the University of Ljubljana and Wageningen University & Research, alongside Professor Graham Finlayson of the University of Leeds and colleagues from other institutions in the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Belgium, was developed in connection with a 2025 webinar series hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS).

9 Sep 2026

Teens can now order lunch from almost anywhere. Schools are facing a new dilemma

A national survey of 1,027 US adolescents aged 13 to 17 found that nearly one in four reported using mobile food delivery services during school hours, while almost half used them after school. Fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages were among the most commonly ordered items through delivery apps overall, while students also raised concerns about cost, inequality, safety, and disruption at school.

8 Sep 2026

Vaping rises among youth despite declining smoking rates

Three large studies together show that, although the number of people who smoke is declining, people are taking up smoking at a younger age and vaping has increased, particularly among children and younger people.

7 Sep 2026

Teenagers from disadvantaged families show greater eating disorder risk

Teenagers who come from households with a lower income and lower level of education are more likely to have an eating disorder, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers.

7 Sep 2026

Some popular drinks were linked to depression and anxiety. Coffee was different

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6 Sep 2026

Preschool children show contrasting effects after brief gameplay

A study of preschool children found that brief digital or traditional gameplay improved performance on tasks requiring quick responses, but reduced performance on tasks demanding greater concentration and self-control.

4 Sep 2026

Childhood obesity prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs surge in the U.S.

Although the number of US children under age 12 with obesity being prescribed the weight loss drugs Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound remains low, the number is 310 times higher in June 2026 than it was in 2019, when the drugs were initially prescribed, a new study shows.

4 Sep 2026