A new study of more than 2,300 grade 6 to 8 students found that the majority use AI chatbots, and their use was increasing. Researchers found that the more students used AI, the more they had symptoms of social anxiety and depression. One in five middle schoolers admitted they relied on AI for “emotional companionship.” While some students turned to AI because they felt lonely, the study showed that it actually tended to increase their feelings of loneliness. One study author said they found two to four kids in most classes who said they preferred chatting with AI rather than people. Since the preteen and teen years are a crucial time for social and emotional development, experts are calling on schools, parents, and companies to put up safeguards around the use of AI by young people.

An increasing number of young people are taking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs for obesity and diabetes. A new study of more than 2,000 patients ages 10 to 17 found that one in six developed nutritional deficiencies within a year of starting GLP-1s. The most common problem was vitamin D deficiency, found in one in eight study participants. Lack of vitamin D causes issues like muscle weakness, fatigue, and mood problems. Since GLP-1 drugs decrease food intake, they make it easier for people to miss out on key vitamins and minerals. That is especially important for teens. According to study author Dr. Justin Ryder, “Nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, and calcium are of particular concern during adolescence, when deficiencies may have lasting implications for skeletal health and overall development.”

Today, a record number of teens are obese, but health experts see some hope in the number of teens turning to sports to stay fit. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 8.4 million American teens are playing high school sports, more than ever before. Girls are driving the increase. Their participation jumped 3.2 percent over the past year, compared to 0.8 percent for boys. The fastest-growing sport is girls’ flag football, with participation growing by 49 percent in just one year. Thousands of schools across 40 states now offer the sport, and 24 states recognize it as a state-sanctioned varsity sport. That momentum is continuing beyond high school, too. More and more colleges are offering girls’ flag football programs. The sport will also make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook, to pay $567 million into a fund supporting youth mental health treatment and prevention. The court found that features designed to keep teens scrolling—such as endless feeds, recommendations, and notifications—helped contribute to problems like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm. The judge called Meta’s platforms a “significant contributing cause” of a teen mental health crisis in the state. Meta must also introduce stronger protections for young users, including limits on screen time, chatbots, and contact between adults and minors. The case highlights growing concerns that social media companies have a responsibility to design their apps with teens’ health and safety in mind.

Among American teens, rates of drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues are holding steady or trending downward, according to data from the new National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Compared to five years ago, teens are using less marijuana, vaping less nicotine, and drinking less alcohol. Fewer teens are reporting symptoms of depression and thoughts of suicide. However, the teens that are struggling often do not get the help they need. Last year, 3.7 million teens dealt with major depression, and two in five did not receive any mental health treatment. And while nearly 2 million teens needed substance use care, four out of five got no treatment for their addiction or drug abuse.

A majority of American teens age 13 to 17 get their news daily from social media, which differs sharply from older Americans. Teens are also more likely to rely on influencers and independent content creators rather than national new outlets, while a small number also turn to search engines and AI chatbots to keep up with current events. At the same time, teens are realistic about the potential shortcomings of these information sources. While they often turn to non-traditional news sources, only about 12 percent of teens have a “great deal of confidence” in what they hear from sources like influencers, and only 11 percent feel that way about information from AI sources. Plus, a third of teens say they feel confident they can spot AI content, a higher proportion than adults.