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1 in 3 Teens Have Prediabetes, New CDC Data Shows
An estimated 1 in 3 teens and preteens, ages 12 to 17, have prediabetes, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC data means an estimated 8.4 million young people — or 32.7% of the U.S. adolescent population — had prediabetes in 2023, the most recent data available.
With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Prediabetes, which the CDC calls a “critical warning sign,” increases a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as well as other conditions like heart disease and stroke.
Separate from the new data among teens, new diabetes diagnoses among adults have also stopped decreasing after more than a decade of decline — with about 1.5 million diagnoses in 2023, the most recent data. In a statement, Dr. Christopher Holliday, the CDC’s top official in charge of diabetes prevention, said Type 2 diabetes poses a “significant threat” to young people’s health.
Junk Food Sponsorship of Sports Should Be Banned to Protect Children’s Health, Experts Say
Junk food sponsorship of sports should be banned to protect children’s health experts say, warning the adverts have become more “pervasive” and “prominent” than ever.
Cadbury, Pepsi, KP Snacks, Walkers, Kellogg’s, Red Bull, and Monster are just some of the brands that hold partnerships with sporting stars, top flight teams, or official governing bodies.
They include deals with top men’s and women’s football stars Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Leah Williamson, and Lauren James, England Cricket captain Ben Stokes, cyclist Tom Pidcock, and Formula 1 driver Lando Norris.
According to research published by the Journal BMJ, junk food firms have more than 90 current sponsorship deals within top U.K. sports. The research argues these sponsorships help give junk food companies a “health halo effect” by making their products seem more acceptable and even less harmful.
Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Rising Autism Cases in Children: Study
As autism diagnoses continue to rise globally, scientists are exploring all possible causes, including nutrition. One nutrient gaining attention is vitamin D, with new research suggesting it may play a role in both autism risk and symptom severity.
A comprehensive review of multiple studies has found that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to have significantly lower vitamin D levels than their neurotypical peers. This finding is raising questions about whether vitamin D deficiency, especially during early development, might be one of the contributing factors to the growing number of autism cases.
According to global estimates, the number of children diagnosed with autism has increased manifold in recent decades. While part of the rise is due to better awareness and diagnosis, experts believe environmental and lifestyle factors also play a role. Experts believe that vitamin D deficiency is becoming more common due to increased indoor living, sunscreen use, and poor diets and is responsible for an increase in autism.
Searching For the Truth About Autism
To the Editor:
Re: “The Real Reason Behind the Increase in Autism,” by Allen Frances (Opinion guest essay, June 25):
It’s disappointing to see establishment figures like Dr. Frances rush to discredit Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to investigate the alarming rise in autism. While Dr. Frances acknowledges that autism rates have skyrocketed — roughly sixtyfold in just three decades — he insists it’s all because of expanded diagnostic criteria. That is not the whole picture.
Yes, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, has played a role. But to claim that this fully explains the surge is status quo thinking. Parents know what they’ve witnessed: a dramatic, undeniable change in the neurological and behavioral health of children. Ignoring environmental factors like potential toxins, endocrine disrupters and, yes, even vaccine adjuvants is not cautious. It’s irresponsible.
Artificial Intelligence Used to Improve Speed and Accuracy of Autism and ADHD Diagnoses
It can take as long as 18 months for children with suspected autism spectrum or attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorders to get a diagnostic appointment with a psychiatrist in Indiana. But an interdisciplinary team led by an Indiana University researcher has developed a new diagnostic approach using artificial intelligence that could speed up and improve the detection of neurodivergent disorders.
Psychiatrists, who currently use a variety of tests and patient surveys to analyze symptoms such as communication impairments, hyperactivity or repeated behaviors, have no widely available quantitative or biological tests to diagnose autism, ADHD or related disorders.
“The symptoms of neurodivergent disorders are very heterogeneous; psychiatrists call them ‘spectrum disorders’ because there’s no one observable thing that tells them if a person is neurotypical or not,” said Jorge José, the James H. Rudy Distinguished Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences at IU Bloomington and member of the Stark Neuroscience Research Institute at the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
