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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.
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.
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.
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.
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An experimental male contraceptive pill could soon enable men to prevent pregnancy on demand as researchers are aiming for it to work within 30 minutes of being ingested and provide protection for at least six to eight hours.
Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine in the United States have received a grant of $8.2 million from the National Institutes of Health to test the drug in a human trial for the first time. The investigational pill is designed to temporarily stop the sperm in its tracks, rather than suppressing hormone production or formation of sperm.
The drug’s effectiveness, safety and ability to maintain fertility health after each dose remain to be investigated.
Researchers Dr Jochen Buck and Dr Lonny Levin, professors of pharmacology at Weill Cornell, are developing a compound that blocks an enzyme called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC).
This enzyme plays a crucial role in sperm motility, the ability of sperm to move. By inhibiting sAC, the drug is intended to temporarily immobilise sperm, preventing them from swimming enough to fertilise an egg.
In 2023, the researchers reported in Nature Communications that blocking sAC rendered sperm immobile and prevented pregnancies in preclinical models. This drug differs from experimental hormonal male contraceptives, which generally aim to reduce sperm production and may require weeks to become effective.
“We’ve developed an on-demand contraceptive pill that men would take 30 minutes before having sex,” Buck said in a statement from Weill Cornell Medicine. “The pill provides a six-to-eight-hour window of protection from pregnancy, and afterwards, fertility returns to normal.”
These timings reflect the researchers’ intended profile for the drug. They have not yet been confirmed in people yet.
The four-year grant will fund the toxicology and safety studies that are needed before human testing. The grant will also cover the development of an oral formulation as well as the drug’s manufacturing processes.
The next step is a Phase 1, placebo-controlled trial in which healthy men will participate. Researchers will monitor participants for side effects and examine sperm samples to measure changes in motility. They will also investigate whether the effect is temporary and sperm movement returns to normal after the drug’s effect wears off.
“Contraception is unusual in that you’re giving a medicine to healthy people, often in their prime, so the requirements for efficacy and safety are particularly stringent,” said Dr Peter Meinke, an assistant professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell who has contributed to the drug's development.
“You need a molecule that is fast-acting, potent, safe and which is active for hours in the male but also continues to prevent sperm from swimming inside the drug-free female,” he added.
Also read: What Does A Morning-After Pill Do To Your Body?
Male contraceptive options that are currently available include just condoms and vasectomy. Other experimental methods include hormonal pills, gels and long-acting treatments. Many require regular use and can take weeks to affect fertility.
An on-demand pill could offer an instant method for preventing unwanted pregnancy by allowing men to use the drug around the time they have sex, provided the future trials prove it is safe and effective.
“I hope someday family planning becomes a shared responsibility where men or couples can go to the local pharmacy to get male contraceptives,” Levin said. “This gives couples another option to discuss what is best for them.”
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US President Donald Trump’s former daughter-in-law Vanessa Trump recently revealed that she is now cancer-free.
The former wife of Donald Trump Jr also shared the early signs of the disease she experienced before getting diagnosed. The 48-year-old is now undergoing surgery and radiation.
In an interview with her daughter, Kai Trump and radiologist Dr Nicole Saphier for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Vanessa said that she was unusually exhausted for months before getting diagnosed in April 2026. She said that even normal activities in her routine would leave her spent.
“I would love to go and get my Starbucks, and then two hours later, I would feel exhausted,” she said.
Vanessa also said she experienced constant arm pain for several months before noticing something in her left breast
She was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a common form of breast cancer in which cancer cells surface in the milk ducts and spread into breast tissue.
Vanessa underwent a lumpectomy to remove the tumour, followed by three courses of radiation treatment. In an update shared in October, she said a recent breast MRI came back clear. “I'm finally cancer-free,” she said.
Vanessa shared that she will need regular scans in the coming years to monitor her health.
Fatigue is a symptom of various health conditions, but it can also occur in people with cancer. Fatigue related to cancer may feel more intense than normal tiredness and may not improve with adequate sleep or rest.
However, just fatigue is not a reliable sign of breast cancer. It can be due to various other causes like anaemia, thyroid disorders, sleep problems, infections, stress and other medical conditions.
Vanessa's diagnosis puts focus on the importance of paying attention to unusual changes in the body, especially when they occur alongside other symptoms.
Breast cancer does not present in the same way in everyone. Some people may notice a lump, while others experience changes in the breast or surrounding areas like armpits or arms. Warning signs of breast cancer include:
Dr Saphier emphasised that breast cancer can present differently from one person to another. “When it comes to breast cancer, it's not one size fits all. It feels different for everyone,” she said.
A person should not wait for a lump to become large or painful. Anyone who notices a new breast lump, nipple change, or changes in skin should consult a healthcare professional.
Screening mammograms can help detect breast cancer before symptoms appear, but the appropriate screening schedule depends on age, risk and local guidelines. prioritise their health and seek timely checks.
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Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet sex-specific cardiovascular risks often go unrecognized.
Four medical societies — the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine — have issued new guidance to help clinicians identify these risks early and improve heart health in women and girls.
The guidance highlights heavy periods, irregular menstrual cycles and pregnancy complications as potential indicators of cardiovascular risk. It also introduces a “Female Life Stages” framework to guide prevention from puberty through menopause and beyond.
“Women experience their health care across clinical specialties, but it often is fragmented or disconnected,” said Sadiya S. Khan, chair of the collaborative writing group and professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
Also read: This Common Heart Attack Risk Starts Silently In Healthy People In Their 20s
Progress in preventing cardiovascular deaths among women has stalled over the past two decades. The new framework identifies four life stages as opportunities for early risk detection and prevention.
Pregnancy, at any stage, is also described as a biological “stress test” that can reveal previously unrecognized cardiovascular risks.
The guidance recognizes menstrual patterns as a female-specific vital sign. Heavy or irregular bleeding may indicate cardiovascular risk, including risks associated with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), previously known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Changes in cholesterol and metabolic health during perimenopause may signal rising cardiovascular risk. Early identification and preventive action may help reduce future risk.
The years after menopause can also account for up to 40% of a woman’s lifetime. Most heart attacks, strokes and heart failure events occur during this stage, according to the guidance. More than 80% of these events are considered preventable through early action.
Anxiety, depression and eating disorders can contribute to poorer cardiovascular health. The framework urges clinicians to consider psychosocial factors alongside hormonal and cardiovascular health.
High blood pressure, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age infants and stillbirth are recognized as female-specific cardiovascular risk enhancers.
The 2026 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology cholesterol guideline also includes pregnancy-related factors in cardiovascular risk assessment.
Only about 60% of U.S. women with high blood pressure-related pregnancy complications receive follow-up care for their blood pressure within six months of delivery. The collaborating societies are calling for action to close this gap and ensure cardiovascular risks identified during pregnancy receive continued attention.
The societies propose a national network of Comprehensive Centers of Excellence for Women’s Cardiovascular Care, focused on clinical care, professional education, research and community engagement.
They also call for greater inclusion of women in research, increased funding for women’s health and better translation of evidence into clinical practice.
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