A child psychologist says grandparents are more important than ever as youth mental health challenges continue to rise. He argues that children need supportive relationships, meaningful conversations, and a sense of purpose—not just pressure to achieve. Grandparents can help by listening, encouraging, and creating positive experiences that strengthen emotional resilience.

A new treatment that blocks an aging-related protein restored lost cartilage in old mice and helped prevent arthritis after knee injuries. Human cartilage samples showed similar signs of regeneration, raising hopes for a future drug that could repair joints instead of replacing them.

GLP-1 weight management drugs, such as Wegovy and Saxenda, have transformed how we treat obesity in the past few years. But doctors and therapists are increasingly worried about people with anorexia and other eating disorders misusing these powerful drugs. They are especially concerned about teens and others buying them from online pharmacies that don’t require an actual doctor consultation, sometimes by lying about their weight or age (typically they only sell to those over 18). In eating disorder recovery, therapists help patients listen to their natural hunger cues, but GLP-1s interrupt this process. This could lead to some people relapsing into disordered eating. According to Dr. Kimberly Dennis, an expert in the field, “These drugs are rocket fuel for people with eating disorders.”

Getting a summer job is a milestone in many teens’ lives, but this year fewer teens than ever may be working one. Economists at the firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas predict that 790,000 teens will gain jobs between May and July 2026, the lowest number since the government starting tracking teen employment 78 years ago. In the 1970s and ‘80s, about half of teens worked a summer job, but now only about a third do. Some teens have competing priorities, from college prep to internships and sports. At the same time, inflation and automation (including AI) are making some businesses less likely to hire teens. Experts offer a few tips for teen job seekers: start as soon as possible since June is the busiest month for hiring, reach out to family and friends to find opportunities, keep a clean online presence, and follow up with employers after you apply. Opportunities differ by city, but according to the Wall Street Journal, lifeguard gigs are one of the few teen-friendly job openings that remain in consistently high demand.

A long-overlooked organ may hold surprising clues to healthy aging and cancer survival. Researchers at Mass General Brigham used AI to analyze CT scans from tens of thousands of adults and found that people with healthier thymuses—a small immune-system organ once thought to become largely irrelevant after childhood—lived longer and had substantially lower risks of heart disease, cancer, and death.

Researchers found that drinking guava juice may significantly improve anemia by helping the body absorb iron more efficiently. In a review of 17 studies, women and teenage girls who consumed guava juice — especially with iron supplements — experienced noticeable increases in hemoglobin levels. Since guava contains far more vitamin C than oranges, scientists believe it could become a simple, affordable nutrition tool in regions where anemia is widespread.

Source: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills years later.

Women may be especially sensitive to the effects of common dementia risk factors, according to a new UC San Diego study of over 17,000 adults. Researchers say tailoring prevention strategies specifically for women could be key to reducing Alzheimer’s risk.

Nearly two-thirds of teen boys and young men engage with masculinity influencers online. Some channels or podcasts promote healthy views of masculinity, but many “manosphere” figures push impressionable teens toward unrealistic body standards and other extreme ideas. Content on “looksmaxxing,” or trying to maximize one’s attractiveness, can push boys into risky behaviors. Some develop body image issues, eating disorders, or muscle dysphoria, an obsession with bulking up. These can lead to extreme workout routines or taking unregulated supplements, hormones, or anabolic steroids, which raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, organ damage, and other serious conditions. Other teens opt for cosmetic surgery to get a more chiseled jawline or abs. Doctors warn teens to be careful of the line between self-care and self-harm. One expert on the “manosphere,” Dr. Jason Nagata, warns boys to think critically about what they find online, “where popularity can be mistaken for expertise.” Consider if influencers are earning money from products they endorse and if there is real evidence to support their claims.

Cannabis use among older adults is rising fast, but today’s marijuana is far more potent than many people realize — and experts warn the risks may be underestimated. Stanford Medicine specialists say modern cannabis can increase the chances of heart problems, falls, memory issues, dangerous drug interactions, and even addiction, especially for people over 65.

Two new studies show how poor habits can impact your mental well-being. One analysis of teens around the world showed that drinking sugary beverages, like sodas and energy drinks, was associated with a 34 percent increase in symptoms of anxiety. Another study looked at excessive screen time among preteens and young teens. Spending too much time using social media or playing video games was linked to symptoms of depression, attention issues, and behavior problems. Your teen years are the perfect time to practice healthy habits that will serve you for life. You can take small steps every day to benefit your physical and mental health, from eating well and limiting screen time to exercising and practicing mindfulness.

Aging doesn’t just add fat—it redistributes it in risky ways, pushing more into the abdomen where it can harm health. Scientists found that testosterone plays a key role in this shift. In older women recovering from hip fractures, a testosterone gel combined with exercise helped prevent the usual rise in dangerous visceral fat. The result could point to a powerful new strategy for improving recovery and long-term health.

Scientists have developed a breakthrough injectable biomaterial that travels through the bloodstream to repair damaged tissue from within, reducing inflammation and jumpstarting healing. In animal studies, it successfully treated heart attack damage and even showed promise for conditions like traumatic brain injury and pulmonary hypertension. Unlike earlier approaches that required direct injection into the heart, this new therapy can be delivered intravenously, allowing it to spread evenly and act quickly.

Source: Nemours Foundation

Your brain is rapidly developing during your childhood and teen years. To understand how, researchers tracked more than 11,000 children and teens for about seven years in the largest long-term study of the brain development of American youth. They found a key point: Marijuana slows brain development in teens, negatively impacting memory, attention, language, and processing speed. According to the lead researcher, “These differences may seem small at first, but they can add up in ways that affect learning, memory, and everyday functioning.”

Fish oil has long been praised as brain-boosting, but new research suggests the story may be more complicated. Scientists found that in people with repeated mild head injuries, a key omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil—EPA—may actually interfere with the brain’s ability to repair itself. Instead of helping recovery, it appears to weaken blood vessel stability, disrupt healing signals, and even contribute to harmful protein buildup linked to cognitive decline.

 

A surprising new study suggests that eating a very healthy diet—packed with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—might be linked to a higher risk of lung cancer in younger non-smokers. Researchers found that patients under 50 diagnosed with lung cancer often had better-than-average diets, raising the possibility that pesticide exposure from conventionally grown produce could be a hidden culprit.

A new study of gamers in their late teens and early 20s has revealed that their health can suffer depending on how much time they spend gaming. Study participants who spent more than 10 hours per week gaming were more likely to be obese, have poor diets, and get poor quality sleep. Low to moderate levels of gaming (less than 10 hours a week) generally did have a negative impact on teens’ health. Since the habits you establish in your teen and early adult years can stick with you into adulthood, experts suggest focusing on healthy behaviors: taking breaks while gaming, avoiding gaming late at night, eating healthy snacks and balanced meals, and making sure to leave time for physical activity and other hobbies. The research likely applies to a wide range of teens—according to Pew Research, 85 percent of teens play video games, and 41 percent play every day.