Is your teenager skipping breakfast? Why is that happening and what can you do? As per the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which surveyed adolescent health and well-being found that 1 in 4 students in high school ate breakfast, which means 3 in 4 high school students are not eating their breakfast. This data is as per the 2023 survey.

What Did The Study Intend?

The report describes a 10-year long trend and also recent changes among the two years. The study delved deeper into adolescents' dietary, physical activity and sleep behaviors. The study is also based on a national youth risk behavior survey of a representative sample of students from grade nine to 12.

What Did The Study Find?

The study found that while high school students drank slightly less soda and sports drinks and consumed more water, other healthy eating habits declined. In 2023, only 27% of students ate breakfast every day in the past week. The numbers were even lower for female students, with just 22% eating breakfast daily, compared to 32% of male students. Boys were also more likely to eat fruits and vegetables daily and drink water at least three times a day. Poor mental health and lack of physical activity have also been linked to skipping breakfast.

The other findings included a survey across 10-year period, where a decrease in the percentage of students eating fruits from 65% to 55%, eating vegetables, from 61% to 58%, and having breakfast daily from 38% to 27% was noted.

However, there was a positive trend among this, which was in children drinking plain water at least three times a day, which increased from 49% to 54% from when the survey began in 2015.. There were fewer students who also said that they drank soda in 2023 than in 2013. On an average, in 2013, around 22% students avoided soda, whereas in 2023, 31% students avoided it.

The report also emphasized that a healthy diet, along with daily physical activity and sufficient sleep further contributes to a healthy lifestyle. “The 10-year trends from 2013 to 2023 also show a decline in healthy dietary, physical activity, and sleep behaviors,” the survey reported.

Why Do High School Students Skip Breakfast?

While there is no one straightforward answer to it, psychologists and those who study children, believe that for many high school going kids, it is the easiest time to skip a meal. This is because they are caught between rushing to school, or not just that hungry in the morning. So for them, to sit down to have a breakfast may seem hassle and something they would have to take time out from their busy schedule. They at this age also prioritize their extra-curricular activities.

There has also been a shift in their circadian rhythm, and most teens cannot fall asleep before 11 pm, or even at midnight. Which means they wake up tired and struggle to do things right in the morning, which is why they choose to skip breakfast or give extra minutes to any other activities.

There is of course another, more popular reason, to lose weight. While experts and studies, like the one published in the Journal of Nutrition that found skipping breakfast leads to higher levels of hunger hormones, the students still feel the need to do this. However, it could lead to a slow metabolism, prompt the body to conserve energy and burn fewer calories, weight gain and deprive yo off the essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamin D.

Without a morning breakfast, your blood sugar might drop too, which can increase irritability and stress, along with including the risk of depression in teenage.

Tiny plastic particles may be making their way into one of the body's most protected organs, the brain, according to new research. This has raised concerns about the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure, particularly on brain health.

In a study published in Nature Medicine, researchers found that microplastics and nanoplastics were present in brain tissue, with significantly higher concentrations than in liver and kidneys.

One of the most important findings is that these particles can cross the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield that normally blocks harmful substances from entering the brain.

The researchers analysed brain tissue samples collected over several years and observed that they contained seven to 30 times more plastic particles than other organs.

They also found an increase in brain plastic concentrations in more recent samples, reflecting the growing burden of plastic pollution worldwide in the last few years.

"Our data suggest a trend of increasing concentrations of micro- and nanoplastics in the brain," the study authors wrote. They stressed that the findings do not prove these particles cause disease.

Could Microplastic Exposure Increase Dementia Risk?

The researchers also reported higher concentrations of plastic particles in brain tissue from people diagnosed with dementia.

However, they cautioned that the study only identified an association and cannot determine whether microplastics contribute to dementia or whether brains diseased with dementia simply accumulate more particles.

Scientists are still trying to understand how these particles do harm once they reach the brain. Proposed theories include triggering inflammation, disrupting communication between nerve cells, or affecting blood flow, but none have yet been confirmed in humans.

Also read: Risks Of Plastic Pollution: Study Finds Microplastics In Heart Arteries Can Cause Severe Heart Attacks

How Can Microplastics Get Into The Brain?

Since nanoplastics are extremely small, researchers believe some may pass through the blood-brain barrier and become trapped in brain tissue.

The study found polyethylene, commonly used in food packaging and plastic bottles, was the most abundant type detected in the brain tissue.

Scientists emphasise that it is too early to conclude that microplastics directly damage the human brain.

"The findings are concerning, but they should not be interpreted as proof that microplastics cause neurological disease," the researchers emphasised. More studies are needed to determine whether the particles themselves are harmful or simply markers of environmental exposure.

Also read: Dementia Progression Observed To Slow Down When You Do This Exercise 3 Times A Week

How To Reduce Exposure To Microplastics?

While eliminating exposure entirely is nearly impossible, experts recommend practical steps that may lower intake:

• Avoid heating food in plastic containers.
• Choose glass or stainless steel for food and water storage when possible.
• Reduce consumption of heavily packaged and ultra-processed foods.
• Improve indoor ventilation and reduce household dust, another potential source of airborne microplastics.

The study adds to mounting evidence that microplastics are no longer just an environmental issue. They are increasingly being detected throughout the human body, including the blood, lungs, placenta and now the brain.

A new study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that nearly one in three patients who were hospitalised were diagnosed with invasive mould disease (IMD) died during their hospital stay.

The findings highlighted the urgent need for better surveillance, hygiene, early diagnosis, and greater awareness among healthcare professionals.

The findings come from the surveillance study of invasive mould infections conducted by the CDC across four hospitals in Atlanta and Georgia, between 2020 and 2024.

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers identified 499 confirmed cases of invasive mould disease during the five-year study period. Around 33% of these patients died while hospitalised, while the overall 90-day mortality rate reached 45%.

Nearly half of the patients needed intensive care, and about 50% needed ventilation, highlighting just how severe these infections can turn.

Patients who had a recent or current COVID-19 infection were found to be even worse. Their 90-day mortality rate was 66%, compared with 41% among patients without COVID-19.

"Our findings demonstrate that invasive mold disease is associated with substantial illness and death," the CDC researchers wrote, adding that active surveillance can help improve understanding of how common these infections are and guide prevention efforts.

Also read: DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes World’s Second Largest As Death Toll Surpasses 1,500

What Is Invasive Mould Disease?

Unlike the mould that grows on damp walls or spoiled food, invasive mould disease occurs when fungal spores enter the body through the lungs, wounds, or contaminated medical equipment and spread into deep tissues, blood vessels, or organs.

The infections are most commonly caused by fungi such as Aspergillus, Mucorales, Fusarium, and Scedosporium. Once inside the body, they can rapidly become life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

Also read: Vibrio Vulnificus: US Records First Flesh-eating Bacteria Death Of 2026

Who Is Most At Risk?

The disease rarely affects healthy individuals. Instead, it primarily targets people whose immune systems are already weakened, including:

• Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
• Organ transplant recipients
• People taking long-term steroids or immunosuppressive drugs
• Patients in intensive care units
• Individuals recovering from severe COVID-19
• Older adults with multiple illnesses

Also read: Donald Trump Urges RFK Jr. To Accelerate Childhood Vaccine Rollback

Why Experts Are Concerned

One of the biggest challenges is that invasive mould disease is not a nationally reportable disease in the United States, meaning health authorities do not routinely collect nationwide data on cases. Researchers believe the actual burden may therefore be underestimated.

The CDC authors noted that active surveillance is essential to estimate disease incidence, identify outbreaks, and improve patient outcomes. They also highlighted that patients with COVID-19 experienced significantly more severe disease, suggesting clinicians should remain vigilant for fungal complications in critically ill patients.

Outside experts have also warned that factors such as climate change, extreme weather events, an ageing population, and rising antifungal drug resistance could contribute to an increase in serious fungal infections in the coming years.

Although invasive mould infections remain relatively uncommon, the study shows they carry an alarmingly high risk of severe illness and death among vulnerable patients. Researchers say increasing awareness, recognising symptoms early, improving hospital surveillance, and developing faster diagnostic tools could help identify infections sooner and improve survival.

India's food safety regulator has banned the sale of select whisky and rum products produced by some of the country's biggest liquor companies, including Diageo India's United Spirits.

FSSAI's move comes after they found artificial or "nature-identical" flavouring that allegedly violates Indian food standards.

Among the affected products are United Spirits' Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky manufactured in Madhya Pradesh, Inbrew's Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, as well as three variants of Old Monk produced by Mohan Rocky Springwater in Maharashtra.

It is still unclear whether the restrictions apply only to products manufactured at these specific facilities or to the brands nationwide.

Why Did FSSAI Ban These Products?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said laboratory tests found that certain products manufactured by United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater contained external artificial or nature-identical flavouring substances intended to recreate the taste and aroma of whisky or rum, instead of relying on traditional production methods.

According to the regulator, the use of natural flavouring substances in alcoholic beverages is permitted but manufacturers cannot add whisky flavour to whisky or rum flavour to rum.

"There is no internationally recognized manufacturing practice whereby rum flavour is added to rum or whisky flavour is added to whisky," FSSAI said in its statement.

The regulator added that these practices could bypass proper maturation and reduce reliance on ingredients traditionally used to develop flavour, including molasses, malt and grapes.

FSSAI classified the tested products as "sub-standard due to the presence of external artificial or nature-identical flavours in the product."

While Diageo India, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater did not immediately issue public responses to media queries, Reuters reported that some industry executives believe the use of flavouring does not violate existing Indian regulations.

Also read: You Can No Longer Buy Medicines Containing More Than 12% Alcohol Over the Counter: Health Ministry

What Are "Nature-Identical" Flavourings?

Nature-identical flavouring substances are chemically synthesised compounds created to replicate the flavours naturally found in foods or beverages.

Although they may be seem same like the naturally occurring compounds, regulators determine whether they can be used in specific products based on food standards.

In this case, FSSAI's objection is not to all flavourings, but specifically to the addition of whisky or rum flavouring to beverages marketed as whisky or rum.

They argue that the flavour should develop naturally through the approved manufacturing and ageing process.

India is among the world's largest alcohol markets, with annual sales estimated at around $40 billion, and United Spirits, owned by global drinks giant Diageo, is the country's largest liquor company by market share.

The affected products are widely consumed because they are significantly more affordable than the imported spirits.

The latest action also signals FSSAI's bigger effort to tighten regulations of the food and beverage industry. In recent weeks, the regulator has also intensified scrutiny of products marketed as energy drinks and other packaged foods over labelling and compliance issues.