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Study of Amazonian children provides clues for reversing global trends in obesity

Forager-horticulturalist children in the Amazon rainforest do not spend more calories in their everyday lives than children in the United States, but they do spend calories differently.

18 Dec 2019

Vaping among teens doubles in a year says MTF report

The 45th Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey 2019 has revealed that teenagers are preferring e cigarettes more and more and there is an increased propensity of using nicotine and marijuana in their e cigarettes. The latest report titled, “Trends in Reported Marijuana Vaping among U.S. Adolescents, 2017-2019”, was released in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

18 Dec 2019

Blue light may not be so bad for sleep

The sun provides warmth and a bright light with orange-yellow hues during the day. But at night, cold, dim, and white light from the Moon, which exposes people to light similar to blue wavelengths emitted by various types of artificial lighting. Previously, blue light has been dubbed as disruptive to a good night’s sleep.

18 Dec 2019

Study opens up new treatment possibilities for Wilms' tumor

As an embryo develops, its cells must learn what to do with the thousands of genes they've been equipped with. That's why each cell comes with a detailed gene-expression manual outlining exactly which genes should be switched on, to what extent, and when.

18 Dec 2019

Marijuana use in electronic cigarettes on the rise among U.S. teens

A study published today online in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found marijuana use in electronic cigarettes has been increasing among U.S. middle and high school students from 2017 to 2018.

18 Dec 2019

Children with higher BMI tend to have thinner cerebral cortex

Published studies have long found a correlation between obesity in children and decreased executive function. New research published in JAMA Pediatrics, based on data mined from a massive national research study, suggests that a change in brain structure - a thinner prefrontal cortex - may help explain that interrelationship.

18 Dec 2019

Being around dogs from early age may lessen chance of developing schizophrenia as adult

Ever since humans domesticated the dog, the faithful, obedient and protective animal has provided its owner with companionship and emotional well-being. Now, a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that being around "man's best friend" from an early age may have a health benefit as well -- lessening the chance of developing schizophrenia as an adult.

18 Dec 2019

Pregnant teens have higher rates of depression and substance use

Researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute and Brescia University College found that teenage pregnant women are more likely to live in poverty, have poorer mental health and have higher rates of substance use.

18 Dec 2019

Congressional taskforce report highlights alarming trends in Black youth suicide rates

The historic gap in suicide-related rates between Black and White youth is narrowing, according to a report released today by a Congressional taskforce.

18 Dec 2019

MSU study: Despite early treatment, HIV still attacks children’s brains

The vast majority of children living with HIV today are in sub-Saharan Africa. While early antiretroviral therapy, or ART, has ensured less deadly outcomes for children living with and exposed to HIV, studies show the virus still may affect the brain.

18 Dec 2019

Social and visual neural networks do not connect in some children with autism

Among the first and most-documented symptoms of autism spectrum disorder is a child's aversion to interaction with others. Specifically, they appear uninterested in social activities and stimuli that would normally attract a young child's attention, such as watching other children play, sing or dance.

17 Dec 2019

Teach children to wash their hands with a song

And now it’s back to nursery rhymes as doctors resort to innovative ways to teach children how to wash their hands properly and curb the spread of infections. An article published in the BMJdescribes this possibility using a common song.

17 Dec 2019

When should teenage girls have their gynecologic visit?

Parents of young teenage girls are probably thinking about how to help them navigate social media, classwork, and their social lives.

17 Dec 2019

UTHealth researchers receive $3.1 million NIH grant to address youth vaping epidemic

As e-cigarette use by young people reaches epidemic proportions, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct the first-ever assessment on the long-term results of a nationwide nicotine vaping prevention program for youth called CATCH My Breath.

17 Dec 2019