According to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, 41 percent of teens surveyed in the study were unable to tell the difference between true and fake online medical content. Health misinformation and disinformation has become increasingly common since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and large amounts of fake health news have been spread on social media. Research indicates that positive portrayals of risky health behaviors are related to an increase in these behaviors, while sharing accurate information from health professionals online helps lead to an increase in healthy behaviors. Improving skills like media literacy, health literacy, scientific reasoning, and analytical thinking can help combat the spread of fake health news.

A new study completed by researchers at the University of Toronto and published in the Journal of Eating Disorders found that young people are more likely to develop eating disorders if they tend to have “cheat meals,” or meals that deviate from their typical eating habits. These cheat meals are usually between 1,000 and 1,499 calories. The study analyzed 2,717 Canadian teens and young adults between the ages of sixteen and thirty of all genders and found that over half of respondents had cheat meals at least once a year. It also found that people who engage in cheat meals typically have highly restrictive dietary practices and demonstrate higher rates of eating disorders, including binge eating, compulsive exercise, overeating, and fasting.

A new study published in the journal Health Communication found that people who spend a large amount of time “doomscrolling” (continuing to scroll through bad news even though it makes you feel sad or depressed) experience negative effects on their mental and physical health. The study, which surveyed 1,100 people, found that 16.5 percent of respondents showed signs of severely problematic news consumption, while another 27.3 percent demonstrated moderately problematic consumption. Among people with severely problematic news consumption habits, 74 percent reported mental health problems such as stress and anxiety, and 61 percent reported physical health problems including digestive issues, physical pain, and fatigue.

While it’s understandable to want to stay informed, it’s OK to unplug and take a break from the news and social media, especially if it is making you feel sad or anxious. Taking walks, focusing on a hobby or favorite activity, listening to music, or using a meditation or relaxation app are healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety. You can find resources and hotlines to help you cope with stress, anxiety, and depression on our Hotlines page.

Source: National Institutes of Health -

Teen athletes are at heightened risk for misusing or abusing prescription medication, according to a new study. The landmark 2022 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that high school seniors who played contact sports like hockey or football were about 50 percent more likely to abuse prescription stimulants in the decade after graduation, compared to students who didn’t play those types of sports. The study authors collected data on more than 4,770 high school seniors. Some students played contact sports, while others did semi-contact sports like baseball or field hockey, or non-contact sports like track or swimming. Researchers followed the study participants for ten years until their late twenties. They discovered that 31 percent of high school seniors had misused prescription drugs at least once at ages seventeen or eighteen. Among those in contact sports, 11 percent of seniors misused prescription stimulants. The rate of misusing stimulants increased to 18 percent when the study participants were twenty and twenty-one years of age.

The BC Parks Foundation in British Columbia recently started the PaRx program, which allows some doctors to prescribe patients a free annual pass to Canada’s national parks for a range of physical and mental health conditions. Studies indicate that time spent in nature can help soothe the symptoms of numerous conditions, including anxiety and depression, and a 2019 study suggests that as little as two hours spent in nature per week has measurable positive effects on physical health and mental well-being. The PaRx program launched in January 2022 and currently allows doctors involved in the program to prescribe a total of one hundred parks passes to patients. Organizers plan for the program to grow in coming years.

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Sixteen-year-old Corion Evans of Pascagoula, Mississippi, saved four people from drowning after a carful of teenage girls accidentally drove off a boat launch into the Pascagoula River. Evans noticed a sinking car in the river with three girls calling for help and sprang into action. Police Officer Gary Mercer was also on the scene trying to help the girls, but after getting too close to one of the struggling victims and inhaling water he became in danger of drowning as well. Evans swam out to the car, helped the officer back to shore, and then returned to help the three girls make it to land. Evans was awarded a certificate of commendation for his bravery.

According to findings from the Processed Intake Evaluation (PIE) study, since COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in early 2020 participants in the study have consumed 14 percent less ultra-processed food than before the pandemic. The study followed 452 participants between the ages of thirteen and nineteen. According to earlier research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), kids and teens get an average of two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed food, which have little nutritional value and contain substances extracted from foods, such as preservatives, trans fat, starches, and sugar. Eating healthily as a teen plays an important role in your development and helping you stay healthy into adulthood.

According to a new scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association (AHA), the latest research indicates that the use of e-cigarettes can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over two million teens vaped last year, and 25 percent of teens vaped every day. The AHA argues that it is particularly dangerous for teens to vape since the health impacts of vaping build up over time. Studies indicate that vaping impairs blood vessel functioning and causes arterial stiffening, high blood pressure, and high heart rate, all of which can cause heart disease. Related research from the Ohio State University College of Medicine examined the impacts of vaping on adolescent mice and found that the male mice experienced the most pronounced cardiovascular effects. This indicates that teen boys could be at higher risk of experiencing heart disease caused by vaping, potentially due to lower levels of an enzyme that offers protection against vape-related heart disease.

Canada and the U.S. have seen an increase in opioid-related deaths due to drugs that are tainted with fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid. Now, a new program launching in select high schools in Quebec, Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia will teach teens how to administer naloxone and intervene if someone is experiencing an opioid overdose. Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, is a prescription medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. It is usually administered as a nasal spray or an injection. Students can opt to take the new naloxone training along with CPR and defibrillator training already offered by their schools.

This past week, approximately sixty million Americans faced heat-related emergencies. The region impacted by the heat wave spread from Southern California to West Virginia and all the way south into Florida. These high temperatures also create conditions that present a higher risk of rapid-onset drought and wildfire, according to the National Weather Service.

This summer is expected to be hotter than normal, so it is a good idea to prepare now for heat waves and related emergencies. This includes gathering plenty of water and any supplies you’ll need before the heat wave strikes (such as medications and food for your family and pets); finding a cool place you can go if you don’t have air conditioning, such as a mall, public library, or a friend’s house; and staying indoors and drinking plenty of water during the heat emergency. It’s important to listen to updates and instructions from local authorities about how to respond to emergencies in your area, and you can find more information online about staying safe during extreme weather.

This past week, approximately sixty million Americans faced heat-related emergencies. The region impacted by the heat wave spread from Southern California to West Virginia and all the way south into Florida. These high temperatures also create conditions that present a higher risk of rapid-onset drought and wildfire, according to the National Weather Service.

This summer is expected to be hotter than normal, so it is a good idea to prepare now for heat waves and related emergencies. This includes gathering plenty of water and any supplies you’ll need before the heat wave strikes (such as medications and food for your family and pets); finding a cool place you can go if you don’t have air conditioning, such as a mall, public library, or a friend’s house; and staying indoors and drinking plenty of water during the heat emergency. It’s important to listen to updates and instructions from local authorities about how to respond to emergencies in your area, and you can find more information online about staying safe during extreme weather.

According to the New York Times, tens of thousands of local pools and beaches have been left without lifeguards, preventing many pools from opening or causing them to have reduced hours. NPR reports that the lifeguard shortage affects about one-third of public pools in the U.S. There are a few different reasons why this shortage is occurring. First, the low unemployment rate means that teens and young adults have more job opportunities than usual. Second, COVID-19 caused many lifeguard training classes and swimming lessons to be suspended over the past two years. Finally, there are simply fewer teens today than in past decades, creating a smaller pool of applicants. Some cities and private employers have tried to win over more lifeguards with new incentives. For instance, the parks department for the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, covered the cost of lifeguard training this year.

According to the New York Times, tens of thousands of local pools and beaches have been left without lifeguards, preventing many pools from opening or causing them to have reduced hours. NPR reports that the lifeguard shortage affects about one-third of public pools in the U.S. There are a few different reasons why this shortage is occurring. First, the low unemployment rate means that teens and young adults have more job opportunities than usual. Second, COVID-19 caused many lifeguard training classes and swimming lessons to be suspended over the past two years. Finally, there are simply fewer teens today than in past decades, creating a smaller pool of applicants. Some cities and private employers have tried to win over more lifeguards with new incentives. For instance, the parks department for the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, covered the cost of lifeguard training this year.