teenagers

The Center for Mental Health Services at the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a report citing that 3 million teens in the United States suffer from depression each year.
The number of 12- to 17-year-olds suffering from depressive episodes has been steadily increasing in the past few years. The overall rate of depression amongst teens has jumped from 9.9 percent between 2013 to 2014 to over 11 percent the following year.

In Iceland, teenage smoking, drinking and drug use have been radically cut in the past 20 years. Emma Young finds out how they did it, and why other countries aren’t following suit
The post How Iceland cut rates of teen substance abuse with sports and family time appeared first on Positive News.

The simple decision to toss back a handful of peanuts a few times a week in place of other junk food snacks could go a long way to help people fight the battle of the bulge and could prevent childhood obesity, researchers say.
Peanuts are packed with vitamins and nutrients that make the tiny legumes one of the healthiest foods around. Look at the nutritional punch you get from just a 1/4 cup:

If your little ones regularly plug a set of children’s headphones into a smartphone or tablet (probably for your own sanity rather than for any other reason), you should know that even brands that claim to be “safe for young ears” or to deliver “100% safe listening” may still put your kids’ hearing at risk. [1]

While most teenagers bemoan the appearance of the red spots on their faces, a new study has emerged suggesting that these unsightly skin legions might actually be good for you.
Kings College London conducted research revealing that teens who are prone to acne actually have younger looking skin as they age, as compared to their peers with perfect complexions. Those with acne will delay the onset of wrinkles as well as thinning skin, which causes the appearance of aging.

A rather shocking thing occurred this week when U.S.

Food insecurity in the United States may be declining, but many families are still unsure of where their next meal will come from.
According to the USDA, the number of households that were food insecure at some point during 2015 was down to 12.7% from 14% in 2014. However, food insecurity is more pervasive now than it was in 2007 when it was around 11%, almost a full 2% lower than it is today.

Great efforts have been made to get people to quit smoking, and to help them avoid starting. The Great American Smokeout, held every third Thursday in November to encourage people to give up tobacco, began in the 1970’s. Medications like Zyban, Wellbutrin, and Chantix were introduced to help would-be quitters fight their cravings. And in the 1990’s, toll-free quit lines were launched in every state. [1]

Childhood is the healthiest time in a person’s life, but the American Heart Association (AHA) is warning in a statement that, in the United States, less than 1% of children meet the organization’s definition of ideal cardiovascular health. [1]
Statement author Dr. Julia Steinberger said:

Most people know that fruits and vegetables are essential staples of a healthy diet, and consuming plenty of them have been found to cut the risk of various cancers. However, most of those studies have focused on how fruit and vegetable consumption benefit the health of adults, but we know that a healthy start in life can protect people from diseases later on.