Health Alert: Many Teens Are Driving While Impaired.
A nationwide survey of over 6,800 teenagers revealed that 13% had driven under the influence of marijuana in the previous month. Additionally, 5% reported they had driven with alcohol in their system during the same time frame.
JAMA Network Open, December 2020
Diet: Ultra-Processed Foods Pose Health Risks.
Using data concerning over 22,000 participants from the Moli-sani project, researchers report that a high intake of ultra-processed foods can increase an individual’s risk for death due to cardiovascular disease by up to 58% in the following eight years.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2020
Exercise: Lower Body Strength in Children Is on the Decline.
A review of data from national fitness assessments conducted since 1960 revealed that performance on the standing broad jump test increased steadily from 1960 to 1980, slowed in the 1990s, and has declined over the last two decades.
Sports Medicine, December 2020
Chiropractic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Office Workers.
Questionnaires completed by 969 office workers under the age of 50 revealed that about one in five experience wrist and/or hand symptoms commonly associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The researchers estimate that working without breaks can increase the risk for hand and wrist symptoms by up to 88% and that taking frequent breaks could reduce the incidence of CTS among office workers.
BMC Public Health, January 2021
Mental Attitude: Many Teens Who Suffer a Concussion Return to Driving Too Soon.
Interviews with 322 adolescent drivers who had sustained a concussion revealed that roughly a third made no changes to their driving behavior and 1 in 5 returned to driving within two weeks. The findings suggest that roughly half of teen drivers who sustain a concussion may be back on the road too soon, placing themselves, their passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians at risk.
Journal of Adolescent Health, December 2020
Wellness/Prevention: Protect Yourself from the Flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following tips to protect yourself and others from the flu: avoid close contact with people who are sick; stay home when you are sick; cover your month when coughing or sneezing; stay home when you are sick; clean your hands; avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; and practice other good health habits, such as cleaning surfaces, eating healthy, drinking plenty of fluids, and exercising.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 2020