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.

Angelina Jolie, in an act of bravery, for what many women are often shamed, has revealed her mastectomy scars in a magazine photo shoot for Time France. Now 50, she said she chose to show the result of her preventative breast cancer operation because she was "moved" when other women shared their scars.

Jolie during the cover shoot of Time France said, "I share these scars with many women I love, and I am always moved when I see other women share theirs. I wanted to join them, knowing that Time France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer."

Angelia Jolie's Mastectomy Scars

The 50-year-old actress had a double mastectomy at the age of 37 in 2013. This was after she had discovered that she carried a faulty copy of BRCA1 gene, which had put her in the risk of cancer. The disease runs in her family, as her mother too died of ovarian cancer aged 56 in 2007. She had lost her grandmother and aunt to the same disease.

Now, the Oscar-winning actress has posed showing her double mastectomy scars for the first time so she could raise awareness. The cover photo could be seen with her wearing a low-cut sweater that reveals her scars on the cover photo. The magazine issue that will be published on December 18 will feature a full interview with more photos of her operation scars.

Back in 2015, she revealed in The New York Times article that she also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure against developing cancer. She wrote that she had been planning this for "some time now" and that her "children will never have to say, 'Mom died of ovarian cancer'."

According to Cancer Research UK, around 7,600 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the UK, and about 4,100 die from it. The disease often shows few or no symptoms until later stages. Jolie, a mother of six, has long advocated awareness due to her family history, urging women to seek medical advice, stressing that knowledge empowers.

Also Read: More Than A Diagnosis: Cancer Survivors Share The Small Wins That Helped Them Heal

What is the BRCA1 gene?

The BRCA1 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that provides instructions for making a protein that helps repair damaged DNA and maintain the stability of a cell's genetic information.

Mutations in this gene significantly increase the risk of developing certain cancers, most notably breast and ovarian cancers, and also contribute to a higher risk of pancreatic and prostate cancers.

Cancer preventive surgery, also called prophylactic surgery, removes tissues or organs before cancer develops in high-risk individuals to significantly lower their chances of getting cancer, often targeting genetic predispositions (like BRCA mutations) or precancerous conditions (like colon polyps). It's a proactive measure for healthy people at elevated risk, aiming to prevent cancer before it starts, unlike curative surgery that removes the existing cancer.

What is a mastectomy?

A mastectomy is a type of breast cancer surgery that removes all of your breast tissue. Healthcare providers can use it to treat most types of breast cancer. Your provider may also recommend it if you have a high risk of developing breast cancer.

If you have breast cancer, removing the cancer cells is the best way to stop it from spreading. A mastectomy removes all the breast tissue where cancer cells are located. After a mastectomy surgery, you may need other cancer treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells in the surrounding tissue.

US is facing a flu outbreak and as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, an estimated 2.9 million people have gotten sick so far this season. Among them, 1,200 have also died. This is the 'worst' flu season, point out many experts. For US, the country is seeing a post-Thanksgiving spike in influenza, and saw an 8% increase in people testing positive for the flu.

Which Regions Are The Worst Affected By Flu In The US?

As of December 6, as per the latest national data, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, and Louisiana are currently experiencing "high" transmission of the virus.

An increase was also seen in Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico. These states are in the 'moderate' tier for flu cases.

New York City moved into the most severe category for 'very high' flu activity.

What Is Making This Flu Season The 'Worst'?

Much of this flu season is being driven by a new variant, a mutated subclade K, also known as the super flu. This is a subclade of H3N2 influenza, which is historically known for causing more hospitalization and deaths. The best line of defense is to get yourself vaccinated against the virus. “CDC recommends that every 6 months and older who has not yet been vaccinated this season get an annual influenza (flu) vaccine."

As of now, the CDC has distributed 127 million doses, however, things are expected to get worse before they get better.

Not Just US, UK Too Is Struggling With The K Strain Flu

Known as the superflu, this is H3N2 'subclade K'. It is a type of seasonal influenza A virus and people have not encountered much of it in the recent years. This is why there is less immunity against it. However, the National Health Service (NHS), UK, has already sent out a 'flu jab SOS' to vulnerable people.

NHS has confirmed that the super flu is circulating in England this year, and due to less immunity, it is making it easier to spread across people. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged people to get a flu jab. As per the early data, this year's vaccine has offered good protection despite the new strain.

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said that the major concern is that H3N2 is associated with a more severe illness and superflu could be "a very nasty strain of flu". He said that UK could be experiencing a "tidal wave" of illness.

Should You Get The Flu Jab Even If You Are Healthy?

Even if you are healthy, you should get the shot, say doctors. Vaccines are still working against the drifted influenza A (H3N2) subclade, also known as the super flu. The vaccines in high street chemists are sold for £20.

Anyone can be vaccinated, except for those who have a serious allergy to any of its ingredients or to the vaccine it self. The best way to know is to speak to the pharmacist and your GP.

For the vaccine to work, it usually takes up to 14 days. However, what is more important to not is that during the 14-day-long period, you are still vulnerable to catching the virus.

With flu infections starting to climb across Canada, doctors and public health specialists are preparing for a challenging influenza season. The concern centres on the global spread of a changing H3N2 strain that may not line up well with this year’s flu vaccine. Fresh federal figures released on Friday show that about two per cent of flu tests nationwide returned positive results last week. While that remains below the five per cent threshold Canada uses to officially declare a seasonal flu outbreak, it marks a clear rise compared to recent weeks.

Outside Canada, the current flu season has already been severe, with record case numbers reported in the Southern Hemisphere and an earlier-than-usual surge seen in parts of Asia and the United Kingdom. As winter approaches, experts say these trends could offer clues about what Canada might face. “This is the second year in a row that the Southern Hemisphere has seen higher-than-average influenza activity,” said Dr. Jesse Papenburg, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Montreal Children’s Hospital and the McGill University Health Centre, as per CTV News.

“When you look at case numbers, last year was likely the worst flu season Canada experienced in about ten years. Based on what we’re seeing so far, there’s a real possibility we could see a similar level of severity again,” he added.

Influenza A: What Is Leading To The Surge?

Some specialists believe a changing version of H3N2 is driving the early rise in cases. This form of influenza A is already known for causing more serious illness, particularly in older adults. What is raising extra concern this year is that recent mutations appear to be creating more distance between the circulating virus and the protection offered by the current flu shot. Dr. Danuta Skowronski, who leads influenza and emerging respiratory pathogen epidemiology at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, is one of several Canadian experts closely tracking these changes, according to CTV News.

Influenza A: Experts Warn Of Vaccine Mismatch

Although the H3N2 subtype had remained relatively stable for years, Skowronski says it has recently begun showing sharper structural shifts as it spread into northern regions. These changes suggest the strain now circulating could be poorly matched to this season’s vaccine. The current flu shot is designed to protect against two influenza A strains, including H1N1 and H3N2, along with one influenza B strain. “There’s actually a fairly large gap between the H3N2 virus we’re seeing circulate and the one included in the vaccine,” Skowronski explained. “That’s not due to any error. It reflects how unpredictable and fast-changing influenza viruses can be.”

In a statement shared with CBC News, the Public Health Agency of Canada said it keeps close watch on respiratory virus trends around the world to identify patterns that could affect Canadians.

The agency also noted that flu data from the Southern Hemisphere does not always directly forecast what will happen in Canada, since seasonal patterns and population dynamics can differ.

“At this point, it’s still too early to say how severe Canada’s flu season will be,” the agency said, adding that factors such as which influenza subtype becomes dominant, the presence of other respiratory viruses, vaccine performance, and vaccination rates will all play a role.

Even if this year’s vaccine turns out to be less closely matched to the evolving H3N2 strain, all three experts emphasized that getting the flu shot remains important, especially for older adults across Canada.