Jim Liebelt's Youth Culture Watch

What's Hot? 9/30/11

Google Hot Internet Searches - 9/30/11
   1. holly madison
   2. debit card fees
   3. delonte west
   4. how to be a gentleman
   5. anwar al awlaki
   6. courageous
   7. martyn
   8. john lackey
   9. 50/50
  10. occupy wall street
Source: Google

Top 10 U.S. Websites - 9/30/11
   1. Google
   2. Facebook
   3. Yahoo!
   4. YouTube
   5. Amazon
   6. Wikipedia
   7. Twitter
   8. Blogger
   9. eBay
  10. Craigslist
Source: Alexa

iTunes Top 10 Singles - 9/30/11
   1. Strange Clouds - B.o.B
   2. Someone Like You - Adele
   3. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
   4. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
   5. Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
   6. We Found Love - Rihanna
   7. Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes
   8. Without You - David Guetta & Usher
   9. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
  10. It Will Rain - Bruno Mars
Source: Apple iTunes

Top 10 TV Shows in Prime Time - Week Ending 9/25/11
   1. Two and a Half Men
   2. NBC Sunday Night Football
   3. NCIS
   4. 2 Broke Girls
   5. Dancing with the Stars
   6. NCIS: Los Angeles
   7. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick
   8. The Big Bang Theory
   9. Dancing with the Stars Results
  10. Modern Family
Source: Nielsen Co

Top 5 Most Viewed Videos on YouTube - Week Ending - 9/30/11
   1. Food Battle 2011
   2. Bruno Mars - It Will Rain
   3. Pumped Up Kicks / Dubstep
   4. FPSRussia - Minigun
   5. Super Junior A-Cha Music Video
Source: YouTube

Top 5 Movies - Week Ending 9/29/11
   1. The Lion King 3D
   2. Moneyball
   3. Dolphin Tale
   4. Abduction
   5. Killer Elite
Source: Variety

As Minds Get Quicker, Teenagers Get Smarter

Adolescents become smarter because they become mentally quicker.

That is the conclusion of a new study by a group of psychologists at University of Texas at San Antonio. “Our findings make intuitive sense,” says lead author Thomas Coyle, who conducted the study with David Pillow, Anissa Snyder, and Peter Kochunov. But this is the first time psychologists have been able to confirm this important connection. The study appears in the forthcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science.

“Our research was based on two well-known findings, Coyle continues. “The first is that performance on intelligence tests increases during adolescence. The second is that processing speed”—the brain taking in and using new stimuli or information—“as measured by tests of mental speed also increases during adolescence.”

Researchers found that the older teenagers did better and worked faster than the younger ones. Then, running the data in numerous ways, they discovered that the measured increase of intelligence could be accounted for almost entirely by the increase in mental speed.

The work reinforces earlier theories about the relationship between increasing processing speed in the maturing brain and the cognitive development of children.

Source: Health Canal
http://www.healthcanal.com/mental-health-behavior/21187-Minds-Get-Quicker-Teenagers-Get-Smarter.html

Sleepy Teens More Likely to Have Risky Behavior

Most teens don't get enough sleep, putting them at greater risk for a slew of unhealthy behaviors, from physical inactivity to fighting, according to a new U.S. study.

The study findings also showed that sleep-deprived teens were more likely to seriously consider attempting suicide, the researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

For the study, the investigators analyzed the results of a 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey of high school students who were polled about their sleep habits. The survey found that nearly 70 percent of the teens were not getting the National Sleep Foundation's recommended eight or more hours of sleep on week nights.

The research also revealed that the students who said they got less than eight hours of sleep on school nights were more likely to engage in behaviors that put their health at risk, including:

•Drinking non-diet soda at least once a day.
•Being sedentary or not getting 60 minutes of physical activity on at least five of the past seven days.
•Spending three or more hours each day in front of the computer.
•Getting in at least one physical fight.
•Engaging in substance use, such as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes or marijuana.
•Having sex.
•Feeling sad or hopeless.
•Seriously contemplating suicide.

The research was released online in advance of print publication in the journal Preventive Medicine.

Source: USA Today
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/teen-ya/story/2011-09-27/CDC-Sleepy-teens-more-likely-to-have-risky-behavior/50567814/1

Cost of Raising a Child Skyrockets

Forget designer strollers and organic baby formula, just providing a child with the basics has become more than most parents can afford.

The cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 for a middle-income, two-parent family averaged $226,920 last year (not including college), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That's up nearly 40% -- or more than $60,000 -- from 10 years ago. Just one year of spending on a child can cost up to $13,830 in 2010, compared to $9,860 a decade ago.

"Everything is more expensive and each family makes its own set of trade-offs," said Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute in New York. "Many parents are working longer hours, or another job, and they are giving up time at home. It's a complete catch-22."

From buying groceries to paying for gas, every major expense associated with raising a child has climbed significantly over the past decade, said Mark Lino, a senior economist at the USDA.

The battered economy has also taken a toll, of course. Many employers scaled back or even did away with medical coverage in recent years, leaving many families to cover that bill, said Lino. At the same time, costs for doctors visits, medications and other health services also climbed. As a result, health care costs for families with children rose 58% over the decade, he said.

Source: CNN Money
money.cnn.com/2011/09/21/pf/cost_raising_child/index.htm

Diet Key to Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Problems

In a study of 3000 Australian adolescents, published in the journal PLoS One, Deakin University researchers revealed that diet quality predicted mental health in adolescents over time, suggesting that it might be possible to use diet to prevent mental health problems developing in the first place.

“We found that diet quality and mental health were linked, with healthier diets associated with better mental health in 2005 and also predicting better mental health in 2007. This relationship even persisted when mental health at the starting point was taken into account,” said Dr Felice Jacka from Deakin University’s Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit based at Barwon Health, who led the study.

“Three quarters of psychiatric illnesses begin before the age of 25 and the average age that depressive illnesses start is only 13 years old. Once an individual experiences depression, they are more likely to experience it again. We believe that diet may be an important environmental factor influencing the development of mental health problems during adolescence, when rapid growth makes good nutrition particularly important.

“This new evidence suggests that it might be possible to prevent some cases of depression developing in the first place by ensuring that the diets of adolescents are sufficiently nutritious.”

“Importantly, we found that changes in diet quality over time were linked to changes in mental health,” Dr Jacka said.

“On average, adolescents whose diets improved over the two year period also experienced an improvement in mental health over that time, while those adolescents whose dietary quality deteriorated over a two year period experienced an associated deterioration in mental health. This wasn’t explained by changes in physical activity levels or weight.”

Source: Health Canal
http://www.healthcanal.com/mental-health-behavior/21017-Diet-key-preventing-adolescent-mental-health-problems.html

What's Hot? 9/23/11

Google Hot Internet Searches - 9/23/11
   1. gary johnson
   2. cedric benson
   3. meg whitman
   4. frances bean cobain
   5. republican debate
   6. person of interest
   7. prime suspect
   8. rob bell
   9. presidential debate
  10. james spader
Source: Google

Top 10 U.S. Websites - 9/23/11
   1. Google
   2. Facebook
   3. Yahoo!
   4. YouTube
   5. Amazon
   6. Wikipedia
   7. Twitter (up one spot)
   8. Blogger (down one spot)
   9. eBay
  10. Craigslist
Source: Alexa

iTunes Top 10 Singles - 9/23/11
   1. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
   2. Someone Like You - Adele
   3. We Found Love - Rihanna
   4. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
   5. Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
   6. Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes
   7. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
   8. Cheers (Drink to That) - Rihanna
   9. Without You - David Guetta & Usher
  10. You and I - Lady GaGa
Source: Apple iTunes

Top 10 TV Shows in Prime Time - Week Ending 9/18/11
   1. NBC Sunday Night Football
   2. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick
   3. America's Got Talent - Wed.
   4. America's Got Talent - Tues.
   5. Football Night in America - Pt. 3
   6. 60 Minutes
   7. Emmy Awards
   8. Up All Night
   9. Survivor: South Pacific
  10. NCIS
Source: Nielsen Co

Top 5 Most Viewed Videos on YouTube - Week Ending - 9/23/11
   1. Jennifer Lopez - Papi
   2. Gabe William Johnson
   3. What does if feel like to fly over planet Earth?
   4. That Awkward Moment When
   5. #1 Fan
Source: YouTube

Top 5 Movies - Week Ending 9/22/11
   1. The Lion King 3D
   2. Contagion
   3. Drive
   4. The Help
   5. Straw Dogs
Source: Variety

Family Dinners Linked to Less Risky Behavior in Teens

"The Importance of Family Dinners VII" study shows that teens who eat dinner five to seven times a week with their families are less likely to engage in at-risk behaviors than teens who had fewer than three family dinner per week.

Compared to teens who ate with their families five to seven times a week, teenagers who had fewer than three family dinners a week were almost four times more likely to try tobacco, more than twice as likely to use alcohol and 2.5 times more likely to use marijuana, according to new information released by Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

"Family meals are the strongest factor that we've come across in any activity that families do," said William Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota. "It really tops them all as a predictor and contributor of a wide range of positive behavior."

Doherty, who did not take part in the study, said family dinners conveyed a sense of belonging, gave teenagers security and stability, and provided them and their parents an opportunity to communicate.

Source: ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Parenting/family-dinners-linked-risky-behavior-teens/story?id=14583590

 

Another Teen Suicide Linked to Bullying

14-year old Jamey Rodemeyer was found dead after an apparent suicide. He left no note. But his parents say he was bullied for years in middle school.

"It was a constant taunting," said Tracy Rodemeyer, Jamey's mother. "The same people over and over."

The bullying got so bad the parents went to the school about it. They say the school tried to stop it and succeeded at times. Jamey also went through counseling and learned to deal with it better. But it was tough. The bullies were mean.

"People would say, you're like a girl or whatever and then even some of them would say what are you gay," said Tracy. "And he did not like when he was being called those things."

Tracy says Jamey questioned his sexuality and they talked about it openly as a family, and that for the last year, he was doing well.

Tim Rodemeyer, Jamey's father, said, "He fooled everybody. He put on a brave face and I wish he wouldn't have."

Tim and Tracy say they have a message for other parents:

"They have to teach their children to stand up for themselves and their friends and stop the bullies from bullying people," said Tim.

Source: WGRZ.com
http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/135364/1/Buffalo-Teen-Commits-Suicide-Parents-Say-He-was-Bullied

 

 

 

Few Suicidal Teens Get the Help They Need

Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 24 years, a new study shows few suicidal teens are getting the mental health treatment they need.

The researchers found only 13 percent of teenagers with suicidal thoughts visited a mental health professional through their health care network, and only 16 percent received treatment during the year, even though they were eligible for mental health visits without a referral and with relatively low co-payments.

Even when researchers combined various types of mental health services, such as antidepressants and care received outside their health network, only 26 percent of teens contemplating suicide received help in the previous year.

"Teen suicide is a very real issue today in the United States. Until now, we've known very little about how much or how little suicidal teens use health care services. We found it particularly striking to observe such low rates of health care service use among most teens in our study," the study's lead author, Carolyn A. McCarty, of Seattle Children's Research Institute and research associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said in a Seattle Children's Hospital news release.

"We know that asking teens about [suicidal thoughts] does not worsen their problems," said McCarty. "It's absolutely crucial for a teen who is having thoughts of self-harm or significant depression to be able to tell a helpful, trustworthy adult."

The researchers added that primary care physicians should be screening teenagers for depression and suicidal thoughts. "Effective screening tools are available, as are effective treatments for depression," McCarty noted.

The study was published in the September issue of Academic Pediatrics.

Source: U.S. News & World Report
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/09/16/few-suicidal-teens-get-the-help-they-need

Stroke Rates Rising in Teens, Young Adults

U.S. teens and young adults are increasingly being sent to hospitals with cases of strokes, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report an increase in the prevalence of Ischemic stroke hospitalization rates in teens and young adults.

The study found that the Ischemic stroke rate increased by 37 percent for teens and young adults aged 15-44, in a 14 year study between 1995-2008. The study was published in the Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and the Child neurology Society.

The report shows an increase in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, lipid disorder and tobacco use amongst this age group, during the 14 year study.

Ischemic strokes, which account for 85 percent of all strokes, occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked by blood clots or fatty deposits called plaque in the blood vessel linings, according to CDC. In teens and young adults, strokes account for 5 to 10 percent of all strokes. It is one of the top 10 causes of childhood death.

In the study, major conditions for stroke such as hypertension account for over half of participants. One in three had diabetes, and one in four used tobacco. Other common co-existing conditions included obesity which currently affects 33.8 percent of all U.S. adults.

Authors advised that teens and young adults can avoid ischemic strokes by controlling hypertension, diabetes, food intake and choices, including exercising and quitting smoking.

Source: Medical Daily
http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20110905/7098/stroke-strokes-rates-united-states-statistics-young-adults-teens-study-cdc.htm