Teen Health News

April 19, 2025

Top Headlines

Early Education Impacts Teenage Behavior

Apr. 8, 2025 — Researchers explored the long-term effects of preschool expansion in Japan in the 1960s, revealing significant reductions in risky behaviors amongst teenagers. By analyzing regional differences in the rollout of the program, the study identified ...

Biological Pathway in the Brain Could Help Explain Why Teenage Girls Are More Depressed Than Boys

Mar. 25, 2025 — Research has shown that a biological brain mechanism called the 'kynurenine pathway' is imbalanced in adolescents with depression, and this imbalance is more pronounced in teenage girls than ...

Prenatal Maternal Stressors Linked to Higher Blood Pressure During First Year After Birth, Study Shows

Mar. 4, 2025 — Psychosocial stress during pregnancy could lead to higher blood pressure during the first year postpartum according to new ...

A Third of Children Worldwide Forecast to Be Obese or Overweight by 2050

Mar. 3, 2025 — Obesity rates are set to skyrocket, with one in six children and adolescents worldwide forecast to be obese by 2050, according to a new study. But with significant increases predicted within the next five years, the researchers stress urgent action ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:51pm EDT

Gender Gap in Teenage Depression Is Twice as Large in London Than in Tokyo, New Study Finds

Mar. 18, 2025 — Research has tracked depressive symptoms in 7100 young people from Tokyo and London and shown girls have more depressive symptoms than boys in both ...

Biological Clock Plays Critical Role in Driving Teens' Late-Day Eating Habits

Feb. 17, 2025 — The causes of obesity are complex and influenced by many factors. While research has highlighted connections between sleep, eating patterns and ...

How Improving Education Could Close Maternal Heart Health Gaps

Jan. 15, 2025 — Research has established a clear link between racial and ethnic disparities in maternal heart health and higher risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia and cardiovascular issues for Black and Hispanic ...

Almost Three Quarters of Adolescents Experience Depression or Anxiety

Dec. 17, 2024 — Almost three quarters of adolescents in Australia experience clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, with most being chronic, according to a new study. And preventive strategies ...

Teens With a Reduced Response to Rewards Are More Susceptible to Depression

Dec. 17, 2024 — Novel research shows that a reduced neural response to receiving rewards in teens predicts the first onset of depression, but not anxiety or suicidality. This is independent of pre-existing ...

Persistent Tobacco Smoking from Childhood May Cause Heart Damage by the Mid-Twenties

Dec. 11, 2024 — The majority of children who started smoking tobacco at age 10 years or in their later teens continued to smoke until their mid-twenties. Continuous ...

Perceptions of Parent Cannabis Use Shape Teen Attitudes

Dec. 4, 2024 — Teens who think their parents use cannabis are more likely to hold favorable attitudes toward the drug and to consider trying it themselves, according to a new study. The research also reveals that ...

Home and Neighborhood Environments Impact Sedentary Behavior in Teens Globally

Dec. 3, 2024 — Adolescents worldwide are spending an average of 8 to 10 hours per day engaging in sedentary activities such as watching television, using electronic ...

Long-Term Benefits of Weight-Loss Surgery in Young People

Oct. 30, 2024 — Young people with severe obesity who underwent weight-loss surgery at age 19 or younger continued to see sustained weight loss and resolution of common obesity-related comorbidities 10 years later, ...

Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Can Impact Thinking and Learning Skills, Increase Aggression Among Children, Study Shows

Oct. 28, 2024 — As cannabis is legalized and is more accessible in various forms across the country, there is increasing concern among health care providers about ...

Reducing Teens' Psychological Stress Could Save Billions for U.S. Budget, Study Suggests

Jan. 16, 2025 — A new study suggests that boosting adolescent mental health is linked with long-term economic benefits. In contrast to similar findings from prior studies, these estimated relationships could be ...

Nearly 6 Percent of Pregnant Women Report Marijuana Use, U.S. Study Finds

Oct. 30, 2024 — A new study, using responses from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, has found that about 6 percent of pregnant women reported using marijuana during the last month, and many did not ...

Dramatic Drop in Marijuana Use Among U.S. Youth Over a Decade (2011 to 2021)

Oct. 28, 2024 — Using a national survey of 88,183 adolescents in grades nine to 12, findings show marijuana use declined from 23.1% in 2011 to 15.8% in 2021, with first-time use before age 13 dropping from 8.1% to ...

New Study Highlights the Dangers of Handheld Cellphone Use Among Teen Drivers

Oct. 17, 2024 — A new study found a strong association between handheld cellphone use and risky driving behaviors among newly licensed teen drivers. The study used a smartphone telematics application to track the ...

Good Physical Fitness from Childhood Protects Mental Health

Oct. 15, 2024 — A recent study found that good physical fitness from childhood to adolescence is linked to better mental health in adolescence. These results are significant and timely, as mental health problems are ...

Fear of Childbirth Is Associated With Shorter Duration of Breastfeeding

Oct. 7, 2024 — The duration of breastfeeding is shorter than average among mothers with a fear of childbirth -- regardless of the mode of delivery, a new study from Finland ...

Study Identifies Link Between Prediabetes During Adolescence and Young Adulthood With the Likelihood of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Sep. 24, 2024 — A new article finds that prediabetes before conception may significantly increase the likelihood of gestational diabetes during first ...

Research Reveals Reality of Ice Age Teen Puberty

Sep. 12, 2024 — Landmark new research shows Ice Age teens from 25,000 years ago went through similar puberty stages as modern-day ...

COVID-19 Lockdowns Prematurely Aged Teenage Brains, Study Shows

Sep. 9, 2024 — New research has found that lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unusually accelerated brain maturation in adolescents. This maturation was more pronounced in ...

Pregnant Women Exposed to PFAS May Be at Risk for Obesity, Heart Disease Later in Life

Sep. 5, 2024 — Women with higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy may experience long-term weight gain and heart problems later in life, according to new ...

Probiotics During Pregnancy Shown to Help Moms and Babies

Aug. 15, 2024 — Giving probiotics to pregnant mice can enhance both the immune system and behavior of the mothers and their ...

Losing a Loved One May Speed Up Aging

July 29, 2024 — Losing someone close, like a family member, can make you age faster. The study found that people who lost a parent, partner, sibling, or child, showed signs of older biological age compared to those ...

Innovative Modeling Aims to Curb Teen Drunken Driving Fatalities

July 29, 2024 — New research is shedding new light on the complex issue of drinking and driving among teens and young adults in the ...

Last Decade Saw Big Decrease in Teens Who Used Commonly Prescribed and Misused Prescription Drugs

July 25, 2024 — Since 2009, U.S. high school seniors have reported steep declines in medical use, misuse and availability of the three most commonly prescribed and misused controlled substances for teens, a new ...

Decline in Global Adolescent Fertility Rates Is Counteracted by Increasing Teen Births in Sub-Saharan Africa, Study Finds

July 16, 2024 — A new report highlights a troubling trend: while global adolescent fertility rates have significantly declined, sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing an increase in teen births. This region's share ...

Researchers Find Biological Clues to Mental Health Impacts of Prenatal Cannabis Exposure

July 5, 2024 — Researchers outline some of the intermediate biological steps that could play into how prenatal cannabis exposure leads to behavioral issues down the ...

Just 4% of Teen Academy Prospects Play Elite Soccer (Football)

June 27, 2024 — Just four per cent of talented teen academy prospects make it to the top tier of professional football, a new study has shown. A sample of nearly 200 players, aged between 13-18, also revealed only ...

New Study Reveals Links Between Social Anxiety, Depression and Suicidal Thoughts in Adolescents

June 10, 2024 — A longitudinal study using a big dataset of 2,400 young people recruited from the UK found that social anxiety symptoms (measured at the outset) were significantly associated with more suicidal ...

Study Reveals High Rate of Drowsy Driving by Teens

June 4, 2024 — A new study found that drowsy driving by teenagers is a common threat to public safety on U.S. ...

Study Links Household Chaos With Sleep Quality Among Teens With ADHD Symptoms

May 31, 2024 — A new study found that household chaos and sleep hygiene are important factors in the relationship between sleep quality and ADHD symptoms in ...