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.

The United States is once again witnessing a surge in norovirus infections, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Media reports noted that hikers along Southern California's Pacific Crest Trail have been hit by a fast-spreading outbreak of what is often referred to as the "winter vomiting disease".

At least two dozen hikers have fallen ill along the trail over the past two weeks, resulting in at least one air rescue. Health officials believe the cases are linked to norovirus, USA Today reported.

Wastewater Data Shows Rising Activity

According to data from WastewaterSCAN, a Stanford University-led program that tracks disease activity through wastewater testing, norovirus activity was "high" and on an upward trend nationwide in late May.

The surveillance data showed norovirus was detected in 100 per cent of samples collected during May, with concentrations particularly high in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country.

CDC Reports Increase In Cases

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

In addition, the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System also showed that norovirus cases have increased over several weeks following a sharp seasonal decline that began in March.

About 11.2 per cent of administered norovirus tests returned positive during the week ending April 28. That figure rose to 12 per cent in the week ending May 2.

Norovirus is commonly associated with the colder months, when respiratory illnesses such as flu and the common cold are widespread.

However, health experts note that late-spring increases in norovirus activity are not unusual, and outbreaks can occur throughout the year due to the virus's highly contagious nature, the report said.

What Is Norovirus And Its Common Symptoms?

Norovirus causes viral gastroenteritis, sometimes called “stomach flu” or a “stomach bug,” though it isn’t related to influenza. As per Mayo Clinic, it consists of several strains of RNA viruses that inflame the stomach and intestines, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Symptoms usually appear one to two days after exposure and often include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting (non-bloody)
• Watery diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Dehydration (rare but possible)
• Fever
• Headache
• Body aches

Most people recover within one to three days, though they can still spread the virus for up to two weeks after feeling better.

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Who Gets Norovirus?

Anyone can get infected. Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the US, affecting all ages. Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and individuals with existing health conditions are more vulnerable.

How Does Norovirus Spread?

Norovirus spreads very easily. It survives well in the environment, and only a minuscule amount is enough to infect someone. In fact, just a few particles on the head of a pin can infect over 1,000 people.

Exposure can happen through:

• Eating contaminated water or food, especially leafy greens, fresh fruit, and shellfish like oysters
• Contact with vomit or fecal particles from someone who is infected, either by touching them directly or by touching contaminated surfaces, utensils, or toys.

Two researchers working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been charged with allegedly bringing a deactivated mpox virus into the United States from the Republic of the Congo without a permit.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, from the NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratory, were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements to federal law enforcement agencies.

"These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo. Let that sink in," said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

Who Are The Researchers?

According to the criminal complaint, Vincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, is the Chief of the Virus Ecology Section in the Laboratory of Virology at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Montana.

Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, is a research fellow in Munster's section.

Both researchers worked on emerging viral pathogens and how those pathogens cross the species barrier. They work at a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, which employs the highest level of biosafety precautions for scientific research involving known and potential human pathogens.

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

What Did The Researchers Allegedly Carry?

According to the US Department of Justice, the researchers were carrying a large black plastic case containing 113 vials when they arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from the Republic of the Congo on January 25, this year. Congo was experiencing a monkeypox outbreak at the time.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspected and interviewed the researchers, who were carrying a large black plastic case.

"Munster and Kwe falsely told CBP officers that the black case contained diagnostics and testing equipment," the Department of Justice alleged. But when the FBI and CBP inspected the case and found 113 vials.

As per the investigators:

• 17 of the first 20 tested vials contained deactivated mpox virus
• 1 vial contained chickenpox virus
• 2 vials contained human DNA

Investigation Ongoing

"No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

"The allegations in this case are serious. They involve the dangerous and unlawful smuggling of deactivated Mpox virus into the United States and alleged efforts to mislead our federal agents," she added.

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Marcus L. Sykes, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG), said that "any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization was a breach of public trust and could have placed the public at risk".

As per the officials, Munster and Kwe each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted. The investigation remains ongoing.

What Is Mpox?

Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox.

The virus spreads through close physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

The illness generally lasts between two and four weeks and resolves on its own. However, severe disease can occur, particularly in children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Complications may include secondary infections, respiratory problems, and, in rare cases, death.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) — a progressive condition in which the kidneys become permanently damaged and lose their ability to filter blood effectively — affects an estimated 788 million to 844 million adults worldwide, according to new research published by The Lancet journal today.

The three-part research series, led by global teams from India, the UK, China, Austria, and other countries, projects CKD to become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2040.

Experts identified limited access to testing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the absence of symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases as key factors driving the rise in CKD cases worldwide. They also called for sustained investment in diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare infrastructure to address the growing challenge.

CKD: Underdiagnosis and Lack of Symptoms

The researchers stressed that significant underdiagnosis of chronic kidney disease is a key factor endangering millions of patients worldwide.

Another concern is that mild and moderate stages of the disease often go undetected. Symptoms may develop only in the most severe stages, close to the time when dialysis or a kidney transplant may be required. Without successful treatment, the condition can be fatal.

The lack of symptoms likely contributes to low rates of diagnosis and awareness, said the experts in the research.

"Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most concerning conditions currently impacting global health. The overriding message from our series of research papers is that there remains a pressing need for attention and resources to be focused on this condition," said lead author Dr. Jennifer Lees, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK.

Also read:16 Million Indians Die Due To Hypertension Every Year: AIIMS Doc

"There is huge potential to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and healthy lifespan by testing urine for protein routinely across a range of healthcare settings. This may be particularly important in those most at risk of underdiagnosis, including non-white populations and women," she added.

CKD And NCD Burden

The three research papers, presented at the ongoing European Renal Association Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, highlight that diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease are among the major drivers of CKD, with the risk of developing the disease increasing with age.

While CKD can affect anyone, it is more common in people who are Black or of South Asian origin. Compared with those without the condition, people with chronic kidney disease are more likely to be hospitalized, develop complications while in hospital, and be readmitted.

The studies also highlighted differences in diagnosis and treatment between men and women, alongside the need for integrated approaches to CKD prevention and treatment across a range of healthcare settings.

Read More: Emma Barnett: It Took 21 Years To Diagnose My Endometriosis

Call For Greater Investment In Kidney Care

The experts called for a renewed focus on CKD diagnosis and treatment.

"Chronic kidney disease affects 844 million people worldwide, yet access to even basic kidney testing remains deeply uneven," said Professor Luxia Zhang from Peking University, China.

"Advances in biomarkers, biopsy, and genetic testing now allow us to understand why an individual has kidney disease, not just that they have it. Realizing this benefit for patients everywhere will require sustained investment in diagnostics, laboratory capacity, and workforce," Zhang added.