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.

With Christmas only a week away, doctors are raising alarms over a growing “tripledemic” spreading across New York. Data shared by Northwell Health on Long Island shows a worrying rise across the state. RSV cases have increased by 35 percent, COVID cases by 15 percent, and flu has surged the most, with hospital admissions jumping 75 percent in just one week.

Flu Rising Faster This Year Compared To 2024, Doctors Say

The festive season often brings family gatherings and travel, but it also creates the perfect setting for respiratory viruses to spread. In New York, flu, RSV and COVID cases have climbed steadily since Thanksgiving, and doctors believe numbers will continue to rise through the holidays. “Flu is increasing much faster than what we saw last year,” said Dwayne Breining, senior vice president of lab services at Northwell Health. Speaking to ABC News, Farber added that he has not seen deaths among vaccinated patients, while many severe cases involved people who were unvaccinated.

Flu season usually lasts until early spring, which means doctors say getting vaccinated now can still offer protection. Health experts also emphasise simple but effective habits such as washing hands regularly, wearing a mask if unwell, and skipping holiday events when sick to reduce the risk of spreading infections.

Flu Symptoms You Need To Take Note Of

Common flu symptoms include a sudden fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, and a blocked or runny nose, often appearing quickly. In some cases, especially among children, vomiting or diarrhoea may also occur. Emergency warning signs include difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe dizziness, confusion, or symptoms that seem to improve but then return and worsen. These signs need urgent medical care, according to the CDC.

What Is H3N2 Subclade K?

H3N2 Subclade K is a more altered version of the influenza A (H3N2) virus, a strain already linked to more severe illness compared to others. A subclade signals genetic changes in the virus, which may help it spread more easily or partially evade immunity gained from past infections or vaccinations.

What Is RSV?

RSV, short for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is a highly contagious virus that commonly causes respiratory infections. While it often feels like a mild cold, it can lead to serious breathing issues in infants, older adults, and people with weakened immunity. The virus affects the nose, throat and lungs. Most children catch RSV by the age of two, but repeat infections are common. Symptoms include cough, runny nose, fever and wheezing, and medical help is needed if breathing becomes difficult.

Nearly 5 Million Flu Illnesses Reported So Far Nationally

New York City is currently reporting some of the highest flu-like illness levels in the country. States such as Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas are seeing moderate respiratory illness activity. All other states remain at low or very low levels. The CDC estimates that this flu season has already resulted in at least 4.6 million illnesses, around 49,000 hospitalisations and approximately 1,900 deaths nationwide.

"So, I am in New Delhi, India, and the air quality is over 750. It is the equivalent of smoking 18 cigarettes a day," says Alex, a British travel vlogger in a video uploaded seven days ago on Instagram. He calls the current situation in health a public health emergency. In the video, he walks around the city wearing an N-95 mask and says, "It is super sad. I cannot even see 50 meters in front of me. That is how bad the air quality is in Delhi."

Read: Breathing Delhi's Toxic Air Is Like Smoking 20 Cigarettes A Day, According To Pulmonologist

As of Monday 7am, the city's average AQI remains under the "very poor" category, with the reading of 366 as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Seven areas slip under the 'severe' zone, with Narela recording the worst AQI of 418.

As per the CPCB, AQI between 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is satisfactory, 101 to 200 is moderate, 201 to 300 is poor, 301 to 400 is very poor and 401 to 500 is severe.

Impact Of Toxic Air On Its Population

Not just Delhi, but several other metro cities too have recorded a worsening in its air quality levels, in this backdrop, a Lancet study revealed that due to long-term air pollution exposure in India, every year, 1.5 million deaths occur. The study noted that every 10μg/m³ increase in annual PM2·5 concentration was associated with an 8.6 pc higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Using India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, researchers estimate that about 3.8 million deaths between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 exposure. When WHO guidelines were applied, the number rose sharply to 16.6 million, nearly one-fourth of all deaths in the country. The analysis relied on advanced causal methods and high-resolution models that mapped district-level PM2.5 exposure across India, while accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, age distribution, and indoor air pollution.

Also Read: 'No Direct Link Between Lung Disease And Air Pollution,' Says Minister; But Studies Say Something Else

These findings are backed by a 2017 time-series study from Delhi that examined the short-term impact of air pollution on deaths from natural causes. The researchers pointed out that studies worldwide have consistently shown a clear link between common urban air pollutants and harmful health effects. Despite Delhi’s well-documented air quality crisis, they noted that limited local evidence on how specific pollutants affect health had long slowed meaningful policy action.

Furthermore, several other studies also reveal the impact of toxic air on different organs of the body, including lungs causing respiratory illness, as well as increasing the risk of dysmenorrhea in women.

A study published in Frontiers in Public Health, explored the data of 2,96,078 women and girls between the age of 16 to 55 years in Taiwan and correlated it with the long-term air pollution data between 2000 and 2013. None of these women had any history of dysmenorrhea before the survey had began.

Another 2017 study titled Pulmonary Health Effects of Air Pollution, it is clear that lung cancer could be exacerbated due to exposure to a variety of environmental air pollutants with greatest effects due to particulate matter (PM), ozone, and nitrogen oxides.

Delhi's Toxic Air Should Concern All

As of now, the air that we breathe in Delhi contains the same chemicals that are present in a cigarette. These chemicals include carbon monoxide, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, and benzopyrene.

Also Read: Simple Blood Tests Detecting Multiple Cancer; Do They Really Work?

Flu cases in the US has touched almost the 5 million mark, as per the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). New York City has seen the highest levels of flu-like activity, revealed the data. Among the other states are Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas. All these states noted a "moderate" level of flu-like or respiratory illnesses, while rest of the states remain in "low" or "very low" levels of flu-like activities.

Also Read: Simple Blood Tests Detecting Multiple Cancer; Do They Really Work?

What Does The CDC Data Reveal In Flu Cases?

As per the CDC data, there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses, with 49,000 hospitalization, and 1,900 deaths so far by flu in this season. These cases of flu are linked with the new variant known as the subclade K. CDC notes that among the samples sent to it, of the over 900 of them, 0-% were A(H3N2), of those that had further testing, nearly 90% of them were subclade K.

The CDC also notes that this mutant is a mismatch from the season's flu vaccine composition, however, according to experts the vaccine is still useful as the first line of defense against flu, including to avoid any severe illness, hospitalization, and or death.

John Brownstein, an epidemiologist told the ABC News, "Even with this new variant and some mismatch with the vaccine, getting a flu shot is still absolutely worth it. The vaccine continues to provide strong protection against severe outcomes like hospitalization and death, and that’s especially important as flu activity ramps up."

Flu Deaths In Children

Two pediatric flu deaths were reported this week, which brought the total number three to this season. Last season, there were 288, the same as the number in 2009 during the H1N1 pandemic, It is the highest levels since 2004. It was in that year when flu child deaths became mandatory for states to report to CDC.

Also Read: Using An Air Purifier At Home? Pulmonologist Warns These 5 Common Mistakes Could Put Your Lungs At Risk

The CDC found that about 90% of children who died from flu last season were not vaccination. The CDC study found that flu vaccination among kids have dropped 10% points lower than the pre-pandemic levels, with about only 40% of children getting the flu shot this season.

As of now, around 140 million doses of flu have been distributed, whereas last year, it was 128 million. The CDC also notes that anyone over the age of 6 months must get their annual flu shot. It is never too late to get the vaccine, note the experts.

Brownstein also notes: "This is the time of year when flu typically starts to take off, and we expect activity to continue increasing in the weeks ahead. As people gather indoors and travel more around the holidays, those conditions can accelerate spread."

H3N2 Symptoms

• High fever (often above 101°F)
• Severe body aches and muscle pain
• Extreme tiredness that lasts longer
• Dry cough that can be persistent
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea (especially in children)

The recovery time of any influenza could last up to 5 to 14 days, the key is to monitor breathing patterns and avoid over medication.