Social media & sleep deprivation in teens
More than half of the parents of sleep-deprived teens are blaming social media for lack of sleep among their children, a new study has found. The University of Michigan study suggests that 56 per cent of parents of teenagers who have sleep trouble believe that the use of electronics is hurting their child's shut-eye. Forty-three per cent of parents report that their teens struggle to fall asleep or wake up and can't get back to sleep, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan. A fourth of these parents say their child experiences occasional sleep problems (one to two nights per week) while 18 per cent believe their teen struggles with sleep three or more nights per week. Not being able to stay off electronics — including social media and cell phones — was the no.1 reason parents cited for sleep disturbance. Other reasons included irregular sleep schedules due to homework or activities, and concerns about social life.
The impact of witnessing bullying
Turns out, witnessing violence in high school is as bad as being bullied. Students who witness violence in school at the age of 13 are at later risk of psycho-social and academic impairment at age 15, according to a new longitudinal study by researchers at Universite de Montreal with colleagues in Belgium and France. The researchers statistically tested the relationship between witnessing school violence in Grade 8 and subsequent antisocial behaviour (drug use, delinquency), emotional distress (social anxiety, depressive symptoms), and academic adjustment (school achievement, engagement) in Grade 10. They also compared the contribution of different forms of witnessing school violence and compared them to experiencing violence directly over the long term.
Can RYGB help people beat obesity?
Obesity is a growing epidemic worldwide and a leading cause of death alongside heart disease and smoking. Bariatric surgery, specifically Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), is the most effective treatment for obesity. With RYGB, many patients exhibit a reduction in taste preference for sweet and fatty foods, although this effect may only be temporary, according to a new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. Professor Patricia DiLorenzo said, “People who have this surgery are what we call morbidly obese, meaning that they are at least 100 pounds overweight, and in many cases are diabetic. It's life or death for them.” RYGB makes the stomach much smaller into what is called a pouch. This pouch bypasses part of the small intestine, so when you eat, your food enters a smaller stomach and empties right into the small intestine. This means that people cannot eat large meals anymore, leading to weight loss.
