In adolescents the use of e-cigarettes doubles the risk of starting to smoke traditional cigarettes, states a position paper.

Teenagers who tend to pay more attention to sad faces are more likely to develop depression, but specifically within the context of stress, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) measurement provides insight into cardiovascular and overall health, including cognitive and academic functions, among children and teens. Healthy CRF is linked to better heart and blood vessel health, academic achievement, mental health and many other positive outcomes in youth. Most pediatric health care offices do not have the facilities to conduct CRF testing routinely in children.

Researchers analyzed National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to test the effect of the 2009 U.S. flavored cigarette ban. The study found the ban reduced underage smoking by 43% and smoking among young adults by 27%. Researchers call for more comprehensive bans of flavored tobacco products to reduce youth use of these dangerous products.

Study finds that teenagers utilize Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) at a rate five times higher than the United States as a whole.

California teen Sasha Ronaghi thought that maybe 15 people would respond to her idea of starting an Anti-Racism Education Project (ARE) on Instagram. In less than five days, she had 350 participants. Now Ronaghi has more than 470 participants and 115 organizers from 38 states and 16 countries. Ronaghi describes the ARE Project as a community “to connect teenagers — young people in high schools and colleges — with resources about raising awareness for the black community.”

The group is planning to create a content list every month that consists of a movie, podcast, article, and other mediums. The group will meet to discuss the content and amplify black voices throughout the month with a speaker series, too. Ronaghi attributes the immediate success of the club to three things — the rhetoric of education surrounding conversations on racism, COVID-19 forcing many teens to stay home, and the desire for dialogue. She hopes that participants will use their new knowledge to be advocates in spreading awareness in their communities and to step up in conversations.

Teenagers who prefer to stay up late and wake later in the morning are more likely to suffer with asthma and allergies compared to those who sleep and wake earlier, according to a new study.

As many as 7% of moms-to-be use marijuana while pregnant, and that number is rising fast as more use it to quell morning sickness. But new research suggests such use could have a lasting impact on the fetal brain, influencing children's sleep for as much as a decade.

Specific sleep problems among babies and very young children can be linked to mental disorders in adolescents, a new study has found.