top of page
Search

Adolescent Health

Updated: Jan 12, 2022


As a parent, I am always researching different health issues specific to children and adolescents. I have found particular importance in the issues of additive dyes, energy drinks, school violence, and character building. Check out my following papers and presentations on these topics. Let me know if you would like access to any of the original research articles!


FOOD DYES



Additives and dyes are used extensively in the food industry, especially in foods aimed towards kids. Unfortunately, science shows a direct relationship between these dyes and exacerbated hyperactivity. Check out this Video...


  • Microsoft PowerPoint Version:




  • PDF Version:




ENERGY DRINKS


Energy drinks (ED) have become a popular beverage choice among people today, especially the youth and young adult populations. Concerns of ED consumption have been around for quite some time, yet the issue has been under special scrutiny since 2017 when a high school student in South Carolina died from an ED-induced caffeine overdose in class. They contain dangerous levels of caffeine, sugar, and additives that lead to a wide variety of serious health problems. Young adult ED consumption has been linked to a mix of other risky behaviors including smoking, drug use, and gambling. Alternatively, when looking at the causes of ED consumption, a very recent study conducted in 2018 shows a clear connection between regular ED use and past victimization experiences.


Check out the following issues that examine specific trends of ED consumption, the various negative effects it has on children, adolescents, and young adults, the parallel between ED consumption and other risky lifestyle choices, and the causation between those who drink ED and past victimization experiences.




Energy Drinks & The Human Body


A group of researchers from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami, examined a variety of international studies; looking at consumption rates, overdose data, physiological effects, current regulations, and marketing. ED contain very high levels of caffeine: five times the amount of an 8 oz soda. Many countries including Denmark, Uruguay, and Turkey have outlawed the consumption of ED. Yet, in the United States, ED are not regulated by the FDA. This is because they contain natural ingredients like ginseng which allow them to be classified as natural supplements, not food.


Consumption of ED have been linked to kidney failure, seizures, tachycardia, psychotic disorders, hypertension, heart failure, and death. Despite these findings, ED are the fastest growing item in the beverage market with sales topping $9 billion in 2011. According to self-report surveys, ED are regularly consumed by 30% to 50% of young people, with males consuming higher amounts than females.


The difference between sports drinks, vitamin water & energy drinks...

What stands out, is this study's comparison of ED to sports drinks and enhanced/fortified vitamin waters. It is a common misconception that these drinks are all connected. Unfortunately, the only federally-funded survey question that exists, happens to group these three drinks together. This yields unreliable results.


Sports drinks are used to rehydrate. They contain glucose and electrolytes, and will replace nutrients lost during exercise. Vitamin waters improve endurance, strengthen your immune system and relaxes the body. They prevent dehydration and replace nutrients. These beverages are good for people and have no negative side effects. ED, on the other hand, are used to rapidly increase energy levels, endurance, and performance; and end up increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and is “not designed to hydrate the body”.

In addition to the basic statistical data, this article researches the effects of ED when joined with other specific conditions prominent among children.


Kids with ADHD...

2.5 million children are medicated for ADHD. With these high numbers already taking stimulants, the addition of caffeine from ED is very dangerous for the heart. Also at this time in adolescence, the human body is forming the deposition of the bones. Caffeine limits calcium absorption, inhibiting proper bone formation.


Adolescents w/ Eating Disorders...

Because of its ability to suppress the appetite and act as a diuretic, ED are popular among young adults with eating disorders, particularly anorexia. Those with eating disorders already have a heightened chance of cardiac morbidity and electrolyte disorders. ED consumption only raises the chance of this even more. Obesity, along with diabetes is a growing concern for today’s youth. The additional calories increase blood pressure, blood glucose levels, BMI, and the risk of hyperglycemia.



The Connection between Energy Drinks & High-Risk Behavior in Adolescents

A team from The University of Maryland conducted a secondary data analysis of the association between young adults who drink ED and other negative behaviors. They find not only a rampant popularity of this beverage among the U.S. youth but also many harmful health effects on the body and mind.


When it comes to substance abuse, there is a two-prong explanation. First, biological research suggests that early caffeine use can train the dopamine receptors in a person’s brain to have better reactions, or highs, to drugs. Second, ED consumers are more likely to be risk-takers which is also a common trait among drug-users. The study looks at college students who regularly drink ED and their drug use, sexual risk-taking, and driving habits. The most profound connection was seen between ED consumption and alcohol dependency. There is a significant positive correlation between regular ED users and scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Young Adult Alcohol Consequence Questionnaire and the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire. There is also a causal similarity as to why young adults drink ED and why they drink alcohol: mind stimulation and coping.


There are numerous studies that focus on ED consumption and drug use. One specific study concludes that 22.2% of college-age ED consumers illegally use prescription drugs. Other studies report that young adults who drink ED are more likely to participate in unprotected sex, have sex under the influence of alcohol, and drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.




The Connection between Energy Drinks & Victimization

Adolescent victimization has a clear correlation with ED consumption. Five professors at the University of Texas San Antonio conducted a study finding that common adolescent victimization experiences are divided into two categories: property victimization, including property damage and theft, and violent victimization, including injury with or without a weapon and being threatened with or without a weapon. In general, those who are exposed to some sort of adolescent victimization are more prone to physical and mental problems, risky behavior, sleep disturbances, lower physical activity, obesity, depression, lower academic scores, and are more likely to have an eating disorder.


To determine the correlation between victimization and ED consumption, the authors studied the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results, specifically for 8th and 10th-grade students, from 2010 to 2016, divided by gender. Results show that, in general, males consume higher rates of ED than females. Yet, their study indicates that a significantly higher rate of victimized females drink ED than males, where 52% of victimized females drink ED. This is three times the rate of non-victimized female ED consumption. This concludes that adolescent victimization is, in fact, a risk factor for ED consumption. The authors suggest that ED usage is as much of an indicator of past victimization as other addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; and that doctors should question about ED usage as much as these other comparable substances.



SCHOOL VIOLENCE

School shootings are becoming a common occurrence in both developed and developing countries. Despite this fact, North America has had 57 times as many school shootings as other industrialized nations. It sparks public controversy and political rivalry. The word Columbine has its own unique meaning. It effects people of all ages, races, genders, and ethnicities. The devastating effects on the students who experience this psychological and physical trauma are left suffering, plagued with mental illness and rising suicide rates, and struggling to heal. Specifically, studies show that posttraumatic stress disorder is a common result of school shootings. Major emotional problems can result and parents need to be informed.


CHECK OUT THIS THOUGHT-PROVOKING VIDEO.




ADOLESCENT CHARACTER BUILDING




There are many obstacles faced by high school students. Family pressures, peer pressures, bullying, sexuality, school violence, stress, and body image are a few prevalent issues among kids your age today. Encouraging and appreciating character strengths unique to each individual has shown to aid greatly in the way adolescents handle their daily life challenges.


This video outline the modern psychological thought of Positive Psychology and applies this transformational theory to the health of adolescents.





Also check out the VIA character strength survey to find your own character strengths!






References

ADHD drugs make big money, but we still don’t know the risks. (2015, December 9). Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2015/12/adhd-drugs-are-big-business/


Arria, A. M., Bugbee, B. A., Caldeira, K. M., & Vincent, K. B. (2014). Evidence and knowledge gaps for the association between energy drink use and high-risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults. Nutrition Reviews, 72(1), 87–97.doi:10.1111/nure.12129. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4196711/.


Bell, B. (2017). Food dyes: harmless or harmful? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/food-dyes#section8


Bigony, C., Cowley, A., Carreiro, A., & Florez, S, (2019). Character strengths are superpowers: using positive psychology to help children realize their potential. Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Service Learning Projects. 25.


Bogomaz, S. A., Litvina, S. A., Kozlova, N. V., & Atamanova, I. V. (2015). Culture-specific subjective evaluation of character strengths. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 200, 92–100. https://doi-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.08.024


Crockett, L. J., Raffaelli, M., & Shen, Y. L. (2006). Linking self-regulation and risk proneness to risky sexual behavior: pathways through peer pressure and early substance use. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 16(4), 503- 525. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2006.00505.p


Davidson, M. Lickona, T., Kmelkhov, V. (2007). Smart & good schools: a new paradigm for high school character education. Retrieved from http://www2.cortland.edu/dotAsset/255920.pdf


Food dyes: a rainbow of risks. (2010, June 1). Retrieved from https://cspinet.org/resource/food-dyes-rainbow-risks


Frankowski, B. (2006). Positive psychology for today’s adolescents. Retrieved from https://chadd.org/wp- content/uploads/2018/06/ATTN_06_06_PosPsychforAdolescents.pdf


Fulton, A. (2011, March 30). FDA probes link between food dyes, kid’s behavior. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2011/03/30/134962888/fda-probes-link-between- food-dyes-kids-behavior


Gallivan, H. (n.d.). Teens, social media, and body image. Retrieved from https://www.macmh.org/wp- content/uploads/2014/05/18_Gallivan_Teens-social-media-body-image-presentation-H-Gallivan-Spring-2014.pdf Fact sheet: the science linking food dyes with impacts on children’s behavior. (2016, January 13). Retrieved from https://cspinet.org/resource/science-linking-food-dyes- impacts-childrens-behaviorr


Holland, K., & Riley, E. (2014, September 4). ADHD numbers: facts, statistics, & you. Retrieved from https://www.addrc.org/adhd-numbers-facts-statistics-and-you/


Jackson, D. B., Leal, W. E., Posick, C., Vaughn, M. G., & Olivan, M. (2018, May). The role of adolescent victimization in energy drink consumption: monitoring the future, 2010-2016. Journal of Community Health, 2018(43),1137-1144. doi:10.1007/s10900-018-0532-y. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4196711/.


LaMattina, J., (2018, June 8). The biopharmaceutical industry provides 75% of the FDA’s drug review budget. Is this a problem? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnlamattina/2018/06/28/the-biopharmaceutical-industry-provides-75-of-the-fdas-drug-review-budget-is-this-a- problem/#1f4de97549ec


Lai, M. K., Leung, C., Kwok, S., Hui, A., Lo, H., Leung, J., & Tam, C. (2018). A multidimensional PERMA-H positive education model, general satisfaction of school life, and character strengths use in hong kong senior primary school students: confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis using the APASO-II. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1090. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01090


Leal, W. E., Jackson, D. B. (2018, November). Energy drinks and escalation in drug use severity: an emergent hazard to adolescent health. Preventative Medicine 2018(111), 391-396. doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.11.033.


Lytle, M. C., Vaughan, M. D., Rodriguez, E. M., & Shmerler, D. L. (2014). Working with LGBT individuals: incorporating positive psychology into training and practice. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1(4), 335–347. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000064


McCann, D., Barrett, A., Cooper, A., Crumpler, D., Dalen, L., Grimshaw, K., … Stevenson, J. (2007). Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9 year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet, 370(9598), 1560–1567. https://doi- org.proxy1.ncu.edu/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3


Miller, D. J. (2010). Character strengths and virtues in relation to well-being in gay and lesbian individuals. Retrieved from http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/193318/MillerD_2010-3_BODY.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y


NCES. (n.d.). School crime. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=49

Niemiec, R. M. (2018). Character strengths interventions: A field guide for practitioners. Hogrefe Publishing.


O’Toole, M. E., & Federal Bureau of Investigation, Q. V. (1999). The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective.


PACER. (n.d.) Bullying statistics. Retrieved from https://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/stats.asp



SAHMRI, (2020d). PERMA: accomplishments. Retrieved from https://www.wellbeingandresilience.com/accomplishment


SAHMRI. (2020a). PERMA: positive emotion. Retrieved from https://www.wellbeingandresilience.com/positive-emotion


SAHMRI, (2020c). PERMA: meaning. Retrieved from https://www.wellbeingandresilience.com/meaning


SAHMRI, (2020b). PERMA: relationships. Retrieved from https://www.wellbeingandresilience.com/relationships


Siefert, S. M., Schaecter, J. L., Hershorin, E. R., & Lipshultz, S. E. (2011, March). Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults. Pediatrics,127(3), 511-528. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2009-3592.


Smith, D. (2016). 17 surprising foods that contain chemicals & foo dyes. Retrieved from https://www.eatthis.com/chemicals-in-food/


VIA Institute on Character. (2020). The 24 character strengths. Retrieved from https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths


Vieno, A., Canale, N., Potente, R., Scalese, M., Griffiths, M. D., Molinaro, S. (2018, February). The multiplicative effect of combining alcohol with energy drinks on adolescent gambling. Addictive Behaviors, 2018(82), 7-13. doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.01.034.


Wilkins, B., Boman, P., & Mergler, A. (2015). Positive psychological strengths and school engagement in primary school children, Cogent Education, 2:1, DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2015.1095680


Wood-Barcalow, N. L., Tylka, T. L., & Augustus-Horvath, C. L. (2010). “But I Like My Body”: Positive body image characteristics and a holistic model for young-adult women. Body Image, 7(2), 106–116. https://doi- org.proxy1.ncu.edu/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.01.001

Comments

Post: Biology of Mental Disorders
bottom of page