Boarding Schools for Girls

Spending too much time watching television, surfing the Internet, playing computer games, texting on cell phones, watching movies, and reading magazines is taking a toll on the health of American children and teenagers, according to a new study from the University of New Mexico.

Dr. Victor Strasburger and his colleagues went through studies on the effects of media consumption and found that too much exposure to media makes children more violent, more likely to engage in early sex, more likely to consume tobacco and alcohol, more likely to be obese, and more likely to have attention deficit disorder.

For example, the impact of media violence on real-life aggression is 0.31 times higher, a statistic compared to the impact of smoking and lung cancer, which is 0.39 higher.

Dr. Strasburger had three guidelines for parents:

• Limit media to less than one or two hours a day;
• Keep media devices out of young people's bedrooms;
• Watch media with your child and discuss the contents.

In the journal Pediatrics, Dr. Strasburger noted in his reported that today's children spend as much time with media as they do sleeping.

"Too little has been done by parents, health care practitioners, schools, the entertainment industry, or the government to protect children and adolescents from harmful media effects, and to maximize the powerfully prosocial aspects of modern media," according to the report. "More research is needed, but sufficient data exist to warrant both concerned and increased action."

Labels: media_influences, health

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Teenagers who contract mononucleosis are at greater risk for chronic fatigue syndrome, according to a new study from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

• Dr. Ben Katz and his colleagues studied 301 teenagers with mononucleosis, and found that 24 percent did not make a full recovery within six months of being diagnosed.
  
• Two years later, 4 percent had chronic fatigue syndrome -- a prevalence that was 20 times the rate of the general teenage population.
  
• Dr. Katz is now trying to figure out why some teenagers recover and others do not.

The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: health

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The teenage pregnancy rate in the United States increased by 3 percent in 2006, the latest year for which reliable statistics are available. The nation recorded a 4 percent increase in births and a 1 percent increase in abortions among adolescent girls, according to a new study from Guttmacher Institute.

This is the first time in 10 years that pregnancy rates among teens has not gone down.

• Between 1990 and 2005, the pregnancy rate declined 41 percent among females ages 15 to 19 years old .
  
• This represented a drop from 117 pregnancies per 1000 girls to 70 per 1000.
  
• Abortions declined 56 percent among teenagers during that same period.

"It is too soon to tell whether the increase in teen pregnancy between 2005 and 2006 is a short-term fluctuation, a more lasting stabilization or the beginning of a significant new trend, any of which would be of great concern," said Lawrence Finer, director of domestic research at the Institute.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published in the journal Pediatrics found an increase of 1 percent in the teen birth rate in 2007.

Labels: pregnancy, health, teenagers, abortion

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A study from Indiana University School of Medicine found that half of teenage girls will contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI) within the first two years of having sex for the first time.Dr. Wanzhu Tu and his colleagues followed 386 girls ages 14 to 17 years old for as long as eight years.

• Within two years of their first sexual experience, half became infected with one or more of the three most common STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
  
• Dr. Tu believes that his findings highlight the importance of early screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

This study appeared in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: health, sex

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Osteoporosis, a disease that is marked by a weakening of the bones, is most closely associated with women over the age of 50. But because the majority of a girls bone mass is developed within the first 18 years, adolescence is an important time in the effort to prevent the disease.

In an effort to educate girls between the ages of 9 and 14 about osteoporosis prevention, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Womens Health (OWH) has launched a campaign called Best Bones Forever!

The following information is from the campaigns website:

HHS recommends girls look for foods with calcium and vitamin D, which is necessary to help bones absorb calcium. One recent study found 70 percent of kids in the U.S. had below-normal levels of vitamin D, with deficiencies increasing as kids age from childhood to adolescence.

The federal government recommendation for daily calcium consumption increases from 1,000 milligrams (mg) to 1,300 mg at age nine. The guidelines for physical activity for kids are 60 minutes daily, including three days of bone-strengthening activity. &

Along with calcium and vitamin D, physical activity is key to building strong bones. Luckily, it's also a lot of fun! You need 60 minutes of physical activity every day  and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week.

Labels: health, osteoporosis, awareness, adolescents

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A study led by Dr. Kassandra L. Munger of the Harvard School of Public Health has revealed that girls who are obese during adolescence may be at increased risk for developing multiple sclerosis (a disorder of the central nervous system) as adults.

A Nov. 20 Reuters Health article included the following information about the findings:

Munger and her colleagues studied women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II over a 40 year period. Participants answered questions throughout the study about weight, height, body size, smoking and exercise habits, and disease status.

Among the more than 200,000 participants in the two groups, there were 593 cases of MS.

The study found no association between MS risk and having a large body size at ages 5 and 10 or as an adult. However, obesity at age 18 was associated with a greater than twofold increased risk of MS and a large body size at age 20 was associated with a 96% increased risk of MS, the study team found.

Labels: health, obesity, girls, adolescents

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A new study has revealed that the majority of tanning salons appear to be ignoring advice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding teen use of tanning beds. Though these business are not violating any laws, a Sept. 21 article by Jennifer Warner of WebMD Health News indicates that they may be putting young girls at increased risk for skin cancer:

The FDA recommends but does not require that indoor tanning bed operators limit teens to three or fewer tanning bed session in the first week. But researchers found only about 11 percent did so, and 71 percent of tanning bed operators said they would allow a teen to tan seven days a week.

"Exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning lamps has been linked with both melanoma and squamous cell cancer, and first exposure before age 35 years may increase melanoma risk by as much as 75 percent," write researcher Latrice C. Pichon, PhD, MPH, of San Diego State University and colleagues in the Archives of Dermatology.

Researchers say the popularity of indoor tanning with adolescent girls in recent years may also be behind a recent increase in melanoma rates among U.S. women aged 15-39.

Labels: health, tanning, cancer

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A Czech study involving 82 teen girls has revealed an association between low-dose oral contraceptives and abnormally low levels of bone growth and density. The study was led by Dr. Jan Stepan of Charles University in Prague.

A Sept. 14 article by MedPage Today Senior Editor John Gever provided the following details about the study and its possible ramifications:

• In a randomized, crossover trial, bone mineral density (BMD) failed to increase in girls 15 to 19 years old who took pills with a low dose (15 micrograms) of ethinyl estradiol for nine months.
• Bone density increased normally in participants taking pills with a high dose (30 micrograms) of ethinyl estradiol.
• In a presentation at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Dr. Stepan said that based on these findings, girls who need oral contraceptives "could be counseled toward preparations with higher estrogen levels."
  

Labels: health, teenagers, birth-control, research

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Most women admit to being dissatisfied with their bodies. But most are also focused on the wrong things: size instead of health, or calorie reduction instead of healthy eating. Even women whose body mass index (BMI) were within a healthy range said they thought they were overweight.

"The priorities are flipped," Dr. Molly Poag, chief of psychiatry at New York's Lennox Hill Hospital, said in a May 11 article by Associated Press writer Lauran Neergaard. Female athletes, Dr. Poag told the AP writer, are much better role models than supermodels are. "There's an undervaluing of physical fitness and an overhauling of absolute weight and appearance for women in our culture."

An AP-iVilliage poll of 1,000 adult women found that half didn't like their weight, but just one-third disliked their physical condition. This evidence supports the common perception that the popular focus in our society is on appearance, rather than health -- a notion that is both backwards and potentially dangerous.

At boarding schools such as New Leaf Academy in Hendersonville, North Carolina, providing a wide range of academic support services and therapeutic opportunities are among the many efforts that are focused on building female students' self-confidence and improving self-esteem for girls.

Labels: health, self-esteem, body image

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The teen pregnancy rate is rising in the U.S. state of Georgia, and pediatric health advocates are arguing that ineffective outreach efforts are creating a crisis within the state. In a May 5 post on the website of Georgia television station WMGT-41, Liz Foster reported that at least one expert predicts that the situation may not improve any time soon:

Three in ten girls in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20. That's according to the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention's website, which also says Georgia has the 8th highest teen birth rate in the nation.

Dr. David Harvey with the North Central Health District, says part of that can be blamed on state budget cuts, which have trimmed family planning program funds by almost 20 percent. He calls the issue a "major problem" in Middle Georgia and says it will get worse before it gets better. ...

Dr. Harvey says teen pregnancy rates permeate all socioeconomic statuses and affect everyone. From hospital space to medical costs, he says each pregnancy has an impact on society.

Many experts have warned that continued increases in teen sex rates have been associated with a wide range of social, developmental, and health problems.

Labels: pregnancy, health, teenagers, sex

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An 11-member panel of Canadian health care experts has determined that young women who smoke tobacco or who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for developing breast cancer later in life. According to an article by Canwest News Service writer Sharon Kirkey, inhaling tobacco smoke early in life can result in cancer decades later:

"Even moderate exposure to passive smoking, such as living or working with a smoker early in life, increases a woman's risk of breast cancer when she is in her 30s, 40s and 50s," panelist and University of Toronto public health expert Dr. Anthony Miller says. ...

After reviewing ... more than 100 studies ... the panel concluded that all women who smoke, particularly young women, are at increased risk of breast cancer, and that even young women who don't smoke are at increased risk if they're exposed to second-hand smoke.

"An estimated 80 to 90 percent of women have been exposed to tobacco smoke in adolescence and adulthood," says panel chairman Neil Collishaw, of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. "Those women face an increased risk of breast cancer because of that exposure."

In addition to the heightened likelihood of developing breast cancer, teens who smoke are at increased risk for suffering from a wide range of health problems and engaging in a variety of dangerous behaviors.

Labels: health, teenagers, girls, cancer, smoking

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will not challenge a court order that requires it to ease restrictions on access to Plan B, the so-called "morning after" contraception pill. As a result of this decision, 17-year-olds will soon be able to purchase the drug without a prescription.

An April 23 article by Reuters writer Susan Heavy reported that 17-year-olds should have access to the medication within the year, a decision that was hailed by womens health and reproductive rights advocates:

The FDA on [April 22] said it would allow nonprescription access to 17-year-olds as soon as it received necessary information from the drug's maker, Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc, now part of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Teva said it would comply with FDA's request, but it could still take 10 months before the drug is available without a prescription for younger buyers.

Women's health advocates cheered the FDA's decision, with some adding that access should be loosened even more, to allow shelf sales without age restrictions. They along with company officials argue it is critical for women to have quick access to the drug, which aims to prevent pregnancy when used within 24 hours of sexual intercourse.

The FDA decision was announced less than six months after two studies documented an increase in the prevalence of sexual behavior among teens and adolescents.

Labels: health, teenagers, sex, contraception, medications

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According to an April 13 article by Houston Chronicle writer Cindy George, many Texas parents are turning to medical professionals to provide their daughters with the health information that students aren't getting in school. As George put it, increasing numbers of parents are asking the family gynecologist to have "the talk" with their adolescent daughters:

These are the conversations that establish an early doctor-patient relationship, building trust with young women so they're comfortable calling or visiting the gynecologist as they get older.

"I want to meet these young women before they really, really, really need me," said Dr. Tammy Vu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at West Houston Medical Center. ...

Providing medically accurate information can enlighten girls [who are] receiving limited information at school, hearing possibly outdated advice from their parents, and trading whispers with friends often riddled with misinformation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that teens visit a gynecologist for the first time at age 13, 14, or 15 for preventive health appointments that don't usually involve an internal pelvic exam.

Even pre-teens are now making visits to gynecologists' offices, George reports, as experts recommend that girls receive Gardasil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, between the ages of 11 and 12.

Labels: health, sex-education, girls, adolescents, HPV

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About one in 200 young Americans, or 367,000 people, are now vegetarians, according to the latest government statistics.

The Center for Disease Control surveyed 9,000 parents of children under age 18 to come up with those figures.

The majority of youthful vegetarians say that they chose that lifestyle because they want to protect animals from cruelty or slaughter.

"Compassion for animals is the major reason," said Richard Schwartz, president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America. This motivation is especially prevalent among young vegetarians who own pets.

One common concern of parents and doctors is that young vegetarians may not consume sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Another worry is that the children will rely too heavily on pasta, sweets, and sodas to obtain calories.

Labels: health, obesity, vegetarians

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Girls are at greater risk for obesity because they spend more free time at school "standing and talking," while boys play active games like football, according to a study from Great Britain.

Dr. Ricky Ridgers of Liverpool John Moore's University found that girls spend six percent less time in vigorous play than boys do. She and others believe that a practice of women skipping exercise begins in childhood and continues throughout their lifetimes.

"Our study shows boys and girls play differently," Dr. Ridgers said. "Girls tend to spend time in smaller groups and engage in verbal games, conversation, and socializing. Most boys play in larger groups, which lend themselves more to physically active games."

Labels: health, obesity, activity

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Smoking makes teenage girls fat - but it may take 10 years to happen.

A new study in the American Journal of Public Health followed over 4,200 twins from age 16 to their mid-twenties. The women in the study who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day as teenagers were 2.5 times more likely to be overweight in their twenties than non-smoking girls. The effect did not hold true for boys.

"My hunch is that women are more likely to smoke for weight control in adolescence," said lead author, Professor Sherry Pagoto of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "When people quit, they start snacking during those times they used to be smoking."

Labels: health, weight-gain, smoking

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Depression and anxiety in teenaged girls is linked to low bone density, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Dr. Lorah Dorn, an endocrinologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, studied girls ages 11 to 17 years old who had histories of depression or anxiety, and found they had a lowered bone mineral content. Other studies have found this to be true among adult women with depressive and anxiety problems.

Dr. Dorn was unsure why this link exists, but she speculated that high levels of certain stress hormones might affect bone density. Low bone density can have serious complications, including an increased risk for bone fractures.

Labels: health, anxiety, bone_loss

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Migraine headaches don't usually rank very high on the list of health concerns that most parents of teens and tweens are on the lookout for in their children. But according to an article by GateHouse News Service reporter Jessica Young, the problem of migraine headaches among children and teens may be much more prevalent than most people realize:

Dr. Merle Diamond, co-director of the world-renowned Diamond Headache Clinic inpatient unit at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago, said moms and dads frequently write off symptoms as minor sinus pressure because migraines don't seem plausible for the juvenile set.

But according to the clinic, 5 percent of children and adolescents (as opposed to 12 percent of adults) battle chronic headaches and migraines — an incidence rate confirmed by other migraine experts.

"We've seen 2- to 4-year-olds come through with migraines, so it's definitely impacting the young demographic. And it's tough because kids aren't able to articulate what's hurting," said Diamond. ..."It's such a miserable and oftentimes disabling condition to live with."

Dr. David Sperry, a pediatric neurologist and migraine specialist, told Young that as many as one in four of his patients have exhibited symptoms that are consistent with migraines.

 

"For a long time, those in the medical field and society at large didn't believe kids could possibly be wrestling with migraine headaches," Sperry told Young. "It was kind of 'Oh, please!' with them giving a pat on the head and handing over a Tylenol. And this response prolonged the child's agony."

Treatment options for young migraine sufferers include stress-relief and trigger-identification techniques, preventative medications, and biofeedback, Young wrote, while some extreme cases may mandate hospitalization.

Labels: health, headaches

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Granddaughters of women who eat high-fat diets while they are pregnant may be at greater risk for breast cancer, according to an animal study from Georgetown University.

• Dr. Sonia de Assis gave one group of pregnant rats a high-fat diet while a control group were fed a normal one.
• If both maternal and paternal grandmothers ate the high fat diet, their granddaughters had a 30% greater chance of breast cancer.
• If only one grandmother did, their risk was 20% greater than normal.

This study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
 

Labels: health, abortion, cancer

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European girls are entering puberty at younger ages, according to a new study from Denmark.

The study of 1,000 girls found that they began menstrual period at age 9 years and 10 months, an entire year earlier than 1991, when a similar study was conducted. Girls in the 19th century hit puberty at about age 15.

While some see this as a positive sign that nutrition has improved, others find the trend worries some, because hitting puberty early means longer exposure to estrogen, a factor in breast cancer. These girls are also at greater risk for heart disease.

"If girls mature early, they run into teenage problems at an early age, and they are more prone to diseases later on," said Dr. Anders Juul, of the Department of Growth and Reproduction at the University Hospital in Copenhagen. "We should be worried about this regardless of what we think the underlying reasons might be. It is a clear sign that something is affecting our children, whether it is junk food, environmental chemicals or a lack of physical activity."

Previous studies have identified childhood obesity as a risk factor for early puberty.
 

Labels: health, puberty

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About 13% of seven-year-old and 30% of eight-year-old girls in a new study were showing signs of entering puberty based on the development of their breast tissue.

• Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco asked 1239 girls to undergo physical examinations.
• About 30% were either white, black or Hispanic, and 5% were Asian.
• Among the eight-year-olds, 42.9% of the blacks, 30.9% of the Hispanic, and 18.3% of the white girls were showing signs of entering puberty.

The age of the onset of puberty has been lowering for decades, and most doctors attribute that fact to better nutrition. However, there is concern of a relationship between early puberty and childhood obesity or environmental factors that are not yet completely understood.

• Many experts on child development express concern that girls are not able to handle the hormonal changes and sexual advances from men and boys at such young ages.
• Cancer experts warn that early menstruation may be related to increased risk for breast cancer.

"It's certainly throwing up a warning flag," said Dr. Frank Brio, lead author of the study. "I think we need to think about the stuff we're exposing our bodies to and the bodies of our kids. This is a wake-up call, and I think we need to pay attention to it."

This study appears in the journal Pediatrics.
 

Labels: health, puberty

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