A roundup of recent newspaper stories relating to preteen health...

2004:
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

2003:
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

DECEMBER 2004

Study: In-Store Tobacco Advertising Reaches Kids
Stanford researchers have found that middle school students exposed to tobacco advertising in convenience stores or grocery stores are more likely to smoke. The findings of the study are published in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health. More than 2,000 middle school students in the East Bay city of Tracy were surveyed for the study. (Health Day, 11/29/04, by Dotinga)

NOVEMBER 2004

New Marketing Strategies Just For Preteens
This New York Times Magazine article addresses new marketing efforts to target "tweens," and notes that 80 percent of global brands have in place a strategy to reach kids ages 8-12. IDEO, a Palo Alto-based design firm that has researched preteens, says that while this age group wants to appear grown up on the outside, these kids still look, albeit reluctantly, for parental approval and hang on to the nostalgia of younger childhood. (NY Times, 11/28/04 , by Hulbert)

Study: Eating with Family May Mean Better Grades, Behavior
A University of Michigan study of children ages 3 to 12 found that eating dinner with the family was the single strongest indicator of higher academic achievement and better behavior. A similar study found that the percentage of families that eat dinner together is growing, and food manufacturers are increasingly creating convenience foods for easier dinner preparation. (WSJ, 11/11/04, by Stout)

Students Still Unfit
Only about 25 percent of fifth, seventh, and ninth graders passed the state physical fitness test in 2004, just slightly better than in 2003. Experts say the lack of improvement is due to sedentary lifestyles and because fitness is not a top priority in schools. California's test, developed five years ago, requires that students pass several areas of fitness, including running a timed mile and doing at least seven push-ups, 12 curl-ups, and a pull-up. (SJ Mercury, 11/22/04, by Slonaker)

OCTOBER 2004

Youth Sports Are Good, but Potentially Dangerous
In this New York Times column, Jane Brody says that while youth sports programs are beneficial, safety should be more of a concern for young people playing sports. Nearly 800,000 children under 14 are taken to emergency rooms for sports-related injuries each year, and this article says those injuries could be prevented if there is more of an emphasis on playing safe. (NY Times, 10/19/04, by Brody)

SEPTEMBER 2004

Early Puberty Linked to Early Substance Abuse Among Kids
According to a recent study in Pediatrics, early puberty is more of a factor in influencing children to use and abuse tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana than age or school grade. This finding raises the possibility that anti-substance abuse messages geared to younger children may be helpful. (Health Day News, 9/7/04, by Gardner)

Marijuana Use Down, Prescription Drug Abuse Up Among U.S. Youth
According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, fewer U.S. youth are using marijuana, LSD, and Ecstasy, but there is increased abuse of prescription drugs among children ages 12 and older. (Wall Street Journal, 9/9/04)

AUGUST 2004

For Preteen Girls, Milk May Be a Factor in Maintaining Normal Body Weight
In a recent study, researchers found that preteen girls, particularly those of Asian descent, who consume more calcium from dairy sources tend to weigh less and have less abdominal fat than those who eat less dairy. Other findings revealed body weight tends to rise in tandem with soda intake. Milk consumption among U.S. children has dropped steadily since the 1960s, as kids drink more soda and sugary juices. (Reuters Health, 8/11/04)

Preteen Workshops Popular Among Parents, Kids
Robert Lehman and Julie Metzger of Seattle-based Heart to Heart are hosting workshops at Packard Hospital for parents and children to discuss issues that affect preteens. (SJ Mercury, 8/18/04, By Sacks)

Young Women Discuss Their Constant Weight Battles
This article notes the ongoing physical and psychological battle of young women suffering from eating disorders. James Lock, associate professor of medicine at Packard Children's Hospital and co-director of the hospital's Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program, is quoted. (SJ Mercury News, 8/1/04, by Sacks)

Statewide Survey Finds Teen Drug Abuse Down
According to the biennial California Student Survey, use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among California middle and high school students has declined in the last two years, following several years of increases in the 1990s. (California Healthline, 8/23/04)

JULY 2004

Adolescents Battle Depression
This article documents the daily struggles of a young woman diagnosed with depression at the age of 14. Experts say one in 20 American teenagers suffers from depression. According to a 2002 survey, one in five Santa Clara County high school students said they have contemplated suicide.
(SJ Mercury, 7/16/04, by Wong)

Study: Teenage Girls Abusing Alcohol More Than Boys
While drinking by all teenagers has increased in recent years, a new study suggests that an increase in alcohol advertising directed toward teenage girls may be responsible for the higher incidence of underage drinking among girls than boys.
(NY Times, 7/6/04, By O'Neil)

Study: Asthma Continues through Adolescence
A study appearing in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine states that nearly 60 percent of young children with asthma continue to experience wheezing episodes in the first four years of puberty. Being overweight or obese at age 11 also was associated with a three-fold increase in the risk for the persistence of asthma.
(About.com, 7/8/04, by Tidwell)

MAY 2004

Preteens Experiment with Personal Freedom at Slumber Parties
Sleepovers, which are most popular for kids ages 8 to 14, have come under close scrutiny as two recent slumber parties ended tragically. Karen Friedland-Brown, parent education coordinator at Parents Place in Palo Alto, is quoted on kids' growth through this stage as they begin to experiment with personal freedom.
(SJ Mercury, 5/27/04, by Quinn)

Behavior at Age 10 May Predict Later Depression
In a decade-long University of Washington study of preteen behavior, researchers found that preteens who reported fighting, stealing, or other conduct problems were almost four times as likely as their more well-behaved peers to have experienced depression or violent behavior later in life.
(Reuters, 5/21/04, by Huggins)

Teen Self-Mutilation More Prevalent
There has been a steady increase in the number of teens who injure themselves as a way of coping with stresses in their lives, experts across the nation say.
(Palo Alto Daily, 5/10/04, p. 37)

APRIL 2004

Survey: Stress a Top Concern for Preteens
According to a marketing firm survey of 20,000 youth ages 6 to 14 from seven countries, kids view themselves as healthy despite 60 percent claiming to be stressed out. The survey found that young people ages 10-14 particularly felt stressed out, with 75 percent of girls that age listing parents as a source of stress. Additionally, one quarter of teenage girls report they do not eat healthy, compared to 12 percent of boys.
(Business Wire, 4/19/04)

Risks Too Great for Adolescent Antidepressant Use
According to results from Australian researchers, the negative side effects of antidepressants in adolescents outweigh the minimal improvement seen in patients that take them. The researchers advise that pediatricians not prescribe antidepressants to children and adolescents.
(NY Times, 4/9/04, by Harris)
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MARCH 2004

A Campaign to Stop Bullying
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies have launched a campaign -- “Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now!” -- to educate American youth on how to prevent bullying and stop school violence. The campaign's interactive website features stories and advice for youth on bullying.
(Stop Bullying Now, 3/3/04)

Oregon Senator to Raise Awareness of Youth Suicide
Following the loss of his son Garrett, who suffered from bipolar disorder, Oregon Senator Gordon Smith plans to raise awareness of youth suicide and mental illness by speaking publicly about his son's illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 3,000 people between the ages of 10 and 24 commit suicide each year, the third-leading cause of death in that age group.
(SF Chronicle, 3/2/04, by Daly)

U.S. Middle School Kids Face Challenges
A new RAND study found that U.S. students in grades 6-8 face emotional problems and hostile school climates more often than their peers in 11 other nations.
(RAND, 3/04)

VERB Ad Campaign Helping Preteens Become More Physically Active
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that its national ad campaign, VERB, helped increase physical activity in 9- and 10-year-olds to an average 4.3 times a week, compared to 3.3 times a week in 2002. However, the campaign was not as successful among 11- to 13-year-olds, and officials are working to change that. Through the campaign, the CDC encourages children to be active for at least an hour a day.
(SF Chronicle, 2/29/04, By Dreyfuss)

FEBRUARY 2004

Teenage Girls Run Higher Risk of Depression than Boys
The University of Alberta reported that teenage females, ages 16-19, were twice as likely as teenage boys to experience an episode of depression. The study also found that a quarter of all females in this age range experience depression, with smokers at a higher risk. The study examined more than 1,300 Canadian teenagers.
(Medical News Today, 2/4/04)

'Tweens' Shaping Up at Health Clubs
Health clubs, gyms, and community centers are beginning to create classes that focus on preteens in an effort to battle America's obesity crisis.
(The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/4/04, by Giordano)

Parents Voice Outrage Over Effects of Antidepressants on Youth
Sara Bostock of Atherton, whose daughter committed suicide after taking prescribed antidepressants, was one of many parents to speak at a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hearing in Maryland about the effects of antidepressants on youth. After the testimony, the panel urged the FDA to issue stronger warnings about antidepressant use for youth.
(SF Chronicle, 2/3/04, by Waters)

JANUARY 2004

Biological Factors Play A Role in Depressed Adolescents
Adolescents suffering from depression appear to have a smaller hippocampus compared to healthy peers, according to a Canadian study of children ages 13-18 . The research may someday help doctors in diagnosing adolescent depression.
(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/29/04)

Even 6-Year-Old Girls Can be Bullies
Researchers and educators offer possible reasons why they have seen increasing bullying behavior among girls at earlier ages. The article also notes that a recent study found that 30 percent of sixth- through 10th-graders are bullies and/or victims of bullies.
(Boston Globe, 1/15/04, By Meltz)

Gang Lifestyle Attracting Younger Children
This front-page story examines the influences that seem to be drawing preteens and middle schoolers into gang activity in San Jose. An accompanying story notes the rise in general gang activity.
(SJ Mercury, 1/11/04, By Early and Corcoran)

Bay Area Trend Sees Young Boys Joining Gangs
This article, about a 14-year-old San Jose boy who will be tried as an adult for his part in two killings, notes how some grade school-age boys glorify gang life. Police in San Jose say the challenge is for family and social programs to reach young boys with healthy alternatives before gangs can lure them away.
(SF Chronicle, 1/9/04, By Gathright and Zamora)