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.

Col Anurag Upadhyay, a former Indian Army officer and Special Forces veteran, is living with locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which a person can remain conscious and aware while losing the ability to speak and move most muscles.

While there is currently no medicine or injection proven to reverse established locked-in syndrome, experts stress the importance of specialized neurorehabilitation, communication aids and appropriate assistive technologies.

Col Anurag’s Journey

A decorated Army officer and Special Forces veteran, Col Upadhyay suffered a severe posterior circulation stroke in August 2025. The stroke reportedly caused extensive neurological damage and left him with locked-in syndrome.

Despite being unable to move or speak normally, Col Upadhyay is conscious and aware. According to a social media post seeking medical and rehabilitation support for him, he communicates complete thoughts through eye movements and an alphabet-based scanning system.

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What Is Locked-In Syndrome?

Cleveland Clinic defines the syndrome as "a rare and serious neurological disorder that causes complete paralysis of all voluntary muscles except for the eyes, while leaving the person fully conscious and aware"

“Locked-in syndrome is one of the most devastating neurological conditions,” said Dr Sudhir Kumar, neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, in a post on social media platform X.

The condition can leave a person unable to speak or move most muscles despite remaining conscious and aware.

It can severely affect communication and physical independence. However, the extent of impairment and potential for recovery can vary depending on the cause, location and severity of the brain injury, as well as whether the syndrome is complete or incomplete.

Is There A Medicine To Reverse It?

Dr Kumar said, “The honest answer is: There is currently no medicine or injection proven to reverse established locked-in syndrome.”

However, the absence of a proven medicine does not mean that supportive treatment and rehabilitation have no role.

Even after 13 months, Dr Kumar strongly recommended assessment at a specialised centre with experience in long-term neurorehabilitation and assistive technology.

Why Neurorehabilitation and Communication Matters

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Dr Kumar recommended a detailed reassessment by a multidisciplinary team that could include a neurologist, rehabilitation physician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and swallowing therapist, respiratory therapist, psychologist and specialist nurses.

Such an assessment can help identify even small voluntary movements that may have been missed or may have emerged over time.

He also recommended intensive, individualised neurorehabilitation focused on maintaining joint mobility, preventing contractures, improving head and trunk control, increasing sitting tolerance and supporting any residual voluntary movement.

“Even a small movement of a finger, thumb, head or eye can sometimes become functionally very important,” Dr Kumar said.

For people with locked-in syndrome, establishing a reliable way to communicate can be particularly important.

Dr Kumar stressed that “communication should be a top priority” and recommended considering an eye-gaze or eye-tracking communication system where appropriate.

“Restoring a reliable means of communication can dramatically improve autonomy and quality of life,” he said.

Swallowing, Respiratory Care And Mental Health

Dr Kumar also suggested “periodic reassessment of swallowing and bulbar function” and “speech-language therapy”, along with “chest physiotherapy, respiratory exercises, secretion management and periodic reassessment of ventilatory requirements”.

Emphasising the importance of mental health and quality of life, he said, “Never assume that a person with locked-in syndrome does not understand what is happening around them.”

What New Technologies Could Offer

Dr Kumar also highlighted “exciting ongoing research” into several technologies that could potentially improve communication, interaction and rehabilitation for people with severe paralysis.

These include:

1. Eye-tracking and advanced communication systems
2. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that translate brain signals into computer commands
3. BCI-assisted communication for people with severe paralysis
4. Robotics and functional electrical stimulation
5. Virtual reality and technology-assisted rehabilitation
6. Non-invasive brain stimulation, such as transcranial direct current stimulation, currently being explored as an adjunct to rehabilitation

However, these technologies should not be presented as established treatments for locked-in syndrome.

“These technologies are promising, but it is important to be realistic: most are not yet proven treatments capable of reliably reversing locked-in syndrome,” Dr Kumar said.

For people living with locked-in syndrome, continued access to evidence-based rehabilitation, communication tools, assistive technologies and specialised care can remain important.

“For a man who has served our country, we owe him continued care, respect and access to every evidence-based opportunity for rehabilitation,” Dr Kumar said.

“There may not be a miracle medicine today. But there is still meaningful medicine to be practiced and meaningful hope to be offered.”

Tozorakimab, an investigational drug developed by AstraZeneca, reduced moderate-to-severe flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in two late-stage trials, the company has announced.

Presented at the ongoing European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona, the results showed that patients receiving tozorakimab experienced about 29% to 34% fewer COPD exacerbations over one year compared with placebo, when added to standard inhaled therapy.

The results, also published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the drug was generally well tolerated, with injection-site reactions reported as the only adverse drug reaction.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh who led the trials said the findings highlight tozorakimab’s potential as a treatment for people with COPD who remain at risk of exacerbations despite standard inhaled therapy.

What Is Tozorakimab?

Tozorakimab is a potential first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-33 (IL-33).

The drug is designed to inhibit signalling from both the reduced and oxidised forms of IL-33, with the potential to reduce inflammation and disrupt the cycle of mucus dysfunction that contributes to COPD worsening.

AstraZeneca is developing tozorakimab as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with COPD.

What Did the COPD Trials Find?

The findings come from two replicate Phase 3 trials, OBERON and TITANIA, which included a total of 2,306 adults with symptomatic COPD who were current or former smokers and had a history of exacerbations despite stable standard-of-care inhaled maintenance therapy.

Tozorakimab 300 mg, given once every four weeks, reduced moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations among former smokers by:

• 29% in OBERON

• 34% in TITANIA

In the overall population of current and former smokers, exacerbations were reduced by:

• 30% in OBERON

• 29% in TITANIA

The reductions were compared with placebo while patients continued inhaled standard-of-care treatment.

A pooled analysis of the two trials also showed clinically meaningful reductions across all prespecified patient subgroups, including those defined by blood eosinophil count (BEC).

Patients with a baseline BEC below 150 achieved a 23% reduction in moderate-to-severe exacerbations, while those with a BEC of 150 or higher achieved a 34% reduction. Among patients with a BEC of 300 or higher, the reduction was 43%.

“Today’s groundbreaking tozorakimab results, from two replicate trials, set a new standard for COPD treatment outcomes in a broad population of patients. AstraZeneca has clinically validated the novel approach of targeting the signalling of the two forms of IL-33 to both decrease inflammation and disrupt the cycle of mucus dysfunction. With our FDA Priority Review, we look forward to bringing this treatment to patients as quickly as possible,” said Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca.

What Happens Next?

The Biologics License Application for tozorakimab 300 mg, administered once every four weeks, has been accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration for Priority Review as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with COPD.

Tozorakimab is also under regulatory review for COPD in major markets, including the EU and China.

The drug is being studied in a Phase II trial for severe asthma and a Phase III trial for severe viral lower respiratory tract disease. It received FDA Fast Track Designation for severe viral lower respiratory tract disease in November 2023 and for COPD in December 2024.

Why COPD Flare-Ups Matter

COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, excluding COVID-19. It is a progressive respiratory condition characterized by persistent airflow limitation and chronic inflammation of the airways.

Common symptoms include breathlessness, chronic cough, and excess mucus production.

COPD exacerbations can worsen these symptoms and contribute to ongoing inflammation and bronchoconstriction, making it difficult to breathe. They can also accelerate disease progression, increase hospitalizations and raise the risk of future cardiopulmonary events, including heart attacks.

In the US, COPD exacerbations cause more than 2,500 emergency department visits each day. Only 50% of COPD patients live more than 3.5 years after their first severe exacerbation.

Bangladesh was once close to eliminating measles but is now battling what has been described as the world’s largest measles outbreak. With close to 1,000 suspected and confirmed measles-related deaths since March 2026, the country is grappling with its worst outbreak.

According to Bangladesh health ministry data cited by Reuters, 999 deaths have been associated to the measles outbreak, including 100 laboratory-confirmed measles fatalities.

More than 166,000 suspected cases have been reported, including nearly 20,000 laboratory-confirmed infections. More than 146,000 suspected patients have also been hospitalised.

Bangladesh, who is already battling a worsening dengue crisis, is dealing with enormous strain on its healthcare system.

How Did Bangladesh Go From Near Elimination To A Massive Outbreak?

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious infectious diseases. It spreads through respiratory droplets and airborne particles when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. But measles is also highly preventable through vaccination.

For much of the past decade, Bangladesh maintained measles vaccination coverage at or above the 95% level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for preventing long-term transmission.

The vaccine coverage dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the country had otherwise made substantial progress toward elimination.

The political upheaval in 2024 and 2025 disrupted routine immunisation which contributed to the current crisis.

Bangladesh’s health minister, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, told parliament that changes in vaccine procurement contributed to shortages.

A vaccination programme was postponed in 2024, while a nationwide measles-rubella campaign planned for the following year was cancelled, according to Reuters. That left growing numbers of children without adequate immunity.

“Bangladesh missed its measles elimination target because of vaccination gaps in 2024 and 2025,” said Professor Mahmudur Rahman, an epidemiologist and former director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research.

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Young Children Bearing The Brunt

Children under five have been particularly affected, making up for about 80% of cases during the initial stages of the outbreak.

Infants are especially vulnerable because babies younger than nine months may be too young to receive the routine measles vaccine, according to the country’s vaccine schedule.

When vaccination coverage falls in older children and adults, the virus can circulate more widely, increasing the chances that infants will encounter it before they are protected.

Measles itself can cause high fever, cough, runny nose and the characteristic rash. But the danger comes from its complications.

Children can develop pneumonia, severe dehydration, ear infections and encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. Malnutrition can make severe disease more likely.

“To my knowledge, Bangladesh has never witnessed so many children dying from measles. Nor have we ever seen such a high number of patients in a single year. This is a truly terrible situation, and the saddest part is that the victims are children,” Rahman said.

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Bangladesh Has Started A Massive Vaccination Response

The government launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign in April, supported by international health agencies.

More than 19.7 million children have been vaccinated through the campaign, according to Reuters. But public health experts say emergency campaigns alone cannot solve the problem.

The country also needs to restore routine childhood immunisation, identify children who missed earlier doses and close the immunity gaps that allowed the virus to spread so rapidly.

UNICEF had already warned in April that the outbreak was disproportionately affecting young children. Its early situation report recorded nearly 10,000 suspected cases and 128 suspected measles-related deaths by April 7, highlighting how quickly the outbreak escalated.