My teenage cousin is having a crisis, but her mother won’t get her the help she needs

My cousin is 16, and apparently going through a crisis. She hates college, skips classes and has spoken to my grandmother often of hating her life and not enjoying anything any more. My grandmother is in bits about this and has tried to talk to my cousin’s mother, her daughter, about getting her some help. However, my aunt’s response has been, “She’s not going to turn out mental like the rest of you people.” (Other members of the family, including me and my grandmother, have had mental health problems.)

My cousin enjoys watching videos and playing video games, but her parents have banned them and see them as an example of her laziness. She is not sleeping either, so her constant exhaustion is taken as yet more evidence of laziness.

What terrifies me is that this is what my mother did to me, and I can only see it getting worse. When I began self-harming in my teens, my mum also banned me from my one hobby, screamed at me when I had a panic attack and slapped me when she found out I had self-harmed.

I had problems with substance abuse and dropped out of school. I moved away from home as soon as I could.

I am now in my mid-20s, and not close to anyone in my family apart from my grandmother. I have now moved somewhere else and, although I don’t see my parents, I am in contact with them. I haven’t seen my cousin for a few years and have no contact details for her. Anyway, I am not sure how, “Hi, I know we haven’t spoken in years but you remind me of me” would go down. I am trying to help my grandmother find a way to talk to my aunt in a manner that won’t enrage her, but my grandmother is a very non-confrontational person and, as much as she is trying to help my cousin, having to confront my aunt has only resulted in my grandmother being screamed at and threatened with losing contact with her grandchild.

I don’t know how to help my grandmother or my cousin, but I feel as if I have to do something, or history may repeat itself.

That you have come so far from a very toxic and unsupportive environment is incredible and a real credit to your strength of character.

It is great that you are so caring about your cousin and grandmother, but I think there is a lot of over-identifying going on. Your cousin doesn’t sound as if she is in a great place, but the facts pertaining to her were thin. The rest of your letter was about your experiences within the family and your fears of what might happen. I am not trying to minimise how you feel, or what is happening in the slightest – but the key is to separate the different strands so you can work on the right bits at the right time.

I consulted Stuart Hannah, a child and adolescent psychotherapist (childpsychotherapy.org.uk), who said: “The news about your cousin is filtered through your grandmother, via her daughter [your aunt].”

News filtered through people who have their own agenda or narratives can get distorted and then there is less likelihood of anyone getting the help and support that is right for them.

I disagree that it is not worth contacting your cousin: I think you should get in touch. Sure, if you go in there with “you remind me of me” that may not be conducive to further communication. But if you make a different sort of contact, more of a general “hi”, and see what happens, that may be really helpful to her in time (don’t expect miracles straight away). After all, you are not that much older than her, a mere decade, and you share a grandmother. There should be lots of other things to talk about so she feels she has someone to talk to if she feels like it – so it’s about her agenda, not anyone else’s.

It sounds as if you have a lot of issues you haven’t dealt with yourself and I wonder if you have some support (apart from your grandmother). If you do, you could come at this situation with less of your own baggage and would be better able to support your grandmother.

I don’t know what the conversations with your grandmother are like, but Hannah counsels: “How can you offer [your grandmother] something different? Something that isn’t judgmental or blaming [that she seems to get from her daughter]. You can listen from a neutral place. Don’t go down the slagging-off route [if you do], and suspend judgment of family members. If you can hear your grandmother’s experience, that may in turn help her listen to her daughter.”

Being empathic is great – however, if we over-identify with a situation (and both you and your grandmother might be), then the danger is, when we hear about something similar we can start to overlay our own experiences on to this new situation. This stops us seeing what is really going, and it imbues everything with extra emotion.

I think, given everything you have said, there is an element of trying to save your younger self, and that’s laudable, but there is a limit to how much you can do. You may also find this website helpful:

Youngminds.org.uk

Your problems solved

Contact Annalisa Barbieri, The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, or email annalisa.barbieri@mac.com. Annalisa regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence.

Follow Annalisa on Twitter @AnnalisaB

My teenage cousin is having a crisis, but her mother won’t get her the help she needs

Bathtub of sugary drinks a year: cancer warning over teenage intake

British teenagers drink almost a bathtub full of sugary drinks each year, Cancer Research UK has said, urging the government to do more to improve children’s diets.

Children aged 11 to 18 consumed on average 234 cans of sugar-sweetened soft drinks each year, CRUK said.

It amounts to almost a bath full and is more than double the figure for children aged between four and 10, whose average annual intake is 110 cans.

The data stems from a report carried out by the government’s health department and the Food Standards Agency charting the population’s diet and nutrition.

The study found a drop in the amount of sugar-sweetened soft drinks consumed by children, with a more significant fall recorded in the under-10s than teenagers.

Despite the improving figures, CRUK said there was an urgent need to further reduce children’s intake of sugary drinks and threw its support behind government proposals to introduce a sugar tax.

“The ripple effect of a small tax on sugary drinks is enormous, and it will give soft drinks companies a clear incentive to reduce the amount of sugar in drinks,” said Alison Cox, director of prevention at CRUK.

“But the government can do more to give the next generation a better chance.

“The UK has an epidemic on its hands and needs to act now.”

Theresa May revealed plans in August to introduce a sugar tax aimed at tackling childhood obesity, tooth decay and type 2 diabetes.

The sugar levy was first unveiled in March by the previous prime minister, David Cameron.

The tax on drinks with more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres will be introduced in two years, despite strong opposition from the drinks industry.

Soft drinks giant AG Barr, maker of Scotland’s Irn-Bru fizzy drink, in September said the move towards sugar-free drinks followed “negative media coverage of the sector”.

Barr said the drinks industry’s own action to reduce sugar rendered the sugar tax “an unnecessary measure in the context of government health policy objectives”.

Only a handful of countries such as France, South Africa and Mexico have attempted such a tax.

Bathtub of sugary drinks a year: cancer warning over teenage intake

Teenage girls talk about anxiety: "It"s always linked to failure" – video

One in three teenage girls in England and Wales suffers from anxiety, according to a survey of 14-year-olds for the Department for Education. Orli, a 17-year-old girl from north London, talks to her friends about her anxiety, how she plans to beat it and stop the stigma surrounding it

Teenage girls talk about anxiety: "It"s always linked to failure" – video

Sam is a convicted paedophile … and a teenage girl

Sam* is a paedophile. Sam’s offence was a serious one – threatening a young boy and forcibly kissing and touching him. Sam was found guilty of this offence, and has a past history of offending including assaults, theft and drug use.

Sam is not in prison. Sam is in hospital. Sam was sent to hospital because the court took the view that the degree of mental illness that Sam had, in the form of schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, was so severe that Sam would not be safe in a custodial setting.

Sam is a teenage girl. Her history of contact with social services began before she was born. Her mother also had mental health problems, and was using heroin throughout her pregnancy. Sam never knew her mother who abandoned her soon after the birth. Instead, Sam was looked after by her father who was part of a paedophile ring. Sam suffered chronic abuse and still lives with the physical side effects.

The paedophile ring was subsequently exposed by the police, her father went to prison and Sam spent most of her childhood with a relative, who failed to protect her from a series of physically and at times sexually abusive partners. Social, health and education services all raised concerns that she was often inappropriately dressed for the weather, looked undernourished and had bruises that were hard to explain, but the family frequently relocated when people came knocking at the door. She had few friends, and when she did go to school she often sat quietly on her own in the corner so that she could see who was around her.

She began self-harming, took an overdose and attempted suicide. She has scars that will be visible for the rest of her life. She’s had psychotic episodes as a result of using a mixture of amphetamines and ketamine. She continues to experience voices that tell her that she is worthless and should try to kill herself. On her worst nights, she relives her experiences at the hands of every abuser that has ever touched her – they’re holding her down, and nobody ever comes to make it stop.

Sam’s story is not the worst I’ve come across. Sam is not simply defined by her behaviour. She is a frightened, fragmented and traumatised little girl who finds praise terrifying, because in the past it was so often associated with abuse of her trust. We’re working with her and with the other girls on my ward, to try to begin the process of healing. She doesn’t understand why we are trying, but she knows that we are, and that we will never give up on her, even when she begs us to. We are very conscious of her risks to others, but the most pressing need is to stop her from killing herself.

Sam is already surprising us with her shy sense of humour and resilience despite her background. When she gets frightened or feels insecure, she carries around a stuffed toy that carries stains and holes in the same manner and frequency that Sam carries her scars.

I’m a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist and I have worked in a secure adolescent service for six and a half years. I understand why the general public and the media tend to have binary definitions of people – when awful things happen, it helps us to make sense of it. We have a reason, an explanation – they’re “evil”, born bad, they have wonky genetics, they’re “not like us”. We’re right – Sam is not like us. She didn’t have the same childhood, the same opportunities or the same care. She never had anyone to tell her that things would be OK, or to rescue her when she was in pain and thought she would die. She never had anyone to help her understand that she can be whoever she wants to be, that she doesn’t have to replicate the same cycle, or that relationships with other people can be safe. She never had anyone to share her hopes and dreams with. She never had anyone that she could trust.

It is my great privilege to work alongside our clinical team in trying to help people like Sam. When young people begin to trust us and reach out for the first time, my faith in the human spirit surpasses anything I ever thought possible. By day, I love my job with a passion, I work hard to help my patients recover from extreme trauma and illness, and I would never want to do anything else – by night, I dare to dream of a better world for the next Sam that is born.

*Sam is a composite of this psychiatrist’s experiences of patient care

• In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here

If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com.

Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views.

Sam is a convicted paedophile … and a teenage girl

How to Discuss Drinking with Your Teenage Son

Today, over half of American youths between ages 12 and 20 have experimented with alcohol. Both genders face the same experimental rates, and both face incredible dangers of binge drinking, car accidents, alcohol poisoning and prolonged health problem. Whether you’re aiming to connect with your teenage son about alcohol use, considering a discussion about alcoholic rehab centers or are concerned for your child’s future, you should tread lightly.

A discussion about alcohol isn’t necessarily difficult, but such topics, when proposed to male teens, require several specific approaches. Before discussing drinking with your teenage son, take a few things into consideration.

Your Son is Growing Up, and Fitting in is Hard

Remember: Your son is still a teenager. As children reach adolescence, “fitting in” becomes vital to their social survival. They’re more self-conscious, deal with body issues and are more likely to take risks. Your son is probably worried about how he measures up to his classmates, sports team members and the media.

For this reason, alcohol is much more than a drink. It’s a social symbol. Your son’s growing independence, whether visible or not, is heavily dependent upon his outward opinions about alcohol. Before approaching your son, respect his growing independence. In doing so, you’ll set the stage for a positive discussion.

Making a Connection Works Wonders

As mentioned above, adolescence is a troubling time. You’ll need to foster a personal connection with your son before bringing up the dangers, responsibilities and potential downfalls of alcohol consumption. If you approach the situation bluntly, you’ll conflict with your growing son’s need to be understood.

Above all: Don’t tell him he’s wrong. This doesn’t apply directly to alcohol, either. Establishing a durable connection requires flexibility. Just because your son wants to do different things, talk to different people and aspire to a different future doesn’t necessarily mean he needs to be confronted.

That said, he should be confronted if such behaviors are risky to his mental or physical health. Again, a parent-son relationship is a key component about discussing alcohol.

Be Supportive, but Be Firm

When it’s time to bring up alcohol, be prepared to give a supportive, but firm response. 17 percent of eighth graders drink, currently, and 64 percent of kids the same age consider alcohol easy to obtain. Your son, statistically, is likely to have been presented with alcohol at some point.

Be supportive, and let him know exposure to alcohol doesn’t immediately put him in trouble. It isn’t fair, anyway, to punish a child who’s simply witnessed alcohol presentation. By destigmatizing alcohol, itself, you can open the floor for conversation. Remember: Alcohol, itself, isn’t necessarily bad. Drinking underage, or irresponsibly, is.

Discuss the Age Factor

If you approach the alcohol topic from an age standpoint, you’ll break through easier. Tell your son alcohol is restricted to individuals over age 21 for a reason. Discuss the health risks, social risks and legal risks of drinking underage. Again, be conversational. Work with your son, not against him. Show your son you care about his health and help him understand that underage consumption can damage his future before it even begins.

Aim for a Win-Win Experience

Ask open-ended questions, and ask your son how he feels and thinks about alcohol consumption. If you feel the need to, ask him, directly, if he’s drank before. Don’t, however, presume this is the only way to discuss the subject. Avoid questions ending in “yes” or “no,” and instead aim for a win-win experience. Don’t lecture your son, but show him you respect his viewpoint.

When Facing Alcohol Abuse

In some cases, teens fall into heavy alcohol abuse. If your son is struggling with alcoholism, legal troubles or health problems, consider discussing alcoholic rehab centers. Additionally, research inpatient alcohol treatment centers yourself. Make it clear to your son that alcoholism treatment centers serve to help, not hurt. A lot of teens stigmatize alcohol rehab as “useless,” or “uncool.”

Discuss the risks of losing an educational future, the ability to legally drive or even relationships. Your son is human, too, and he cares about his health, his friendships and his future. Discussion is always important, and discussion with your son, if rough around the edges, is entirely possible.

Source

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/OtherAlcoholInformation/makeDifference.aspx

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hope-relationships/201404/9-tips-communicating-your-teenage-son

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/family-building/dads-reconnect-teenage-son/

http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/the-dangers-of-teenage-drinking.htm

How to Discuss Drinking with Your Teenage Son

Third of teenage girls in England experience depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety have risen among teenage girls in England, with more than a third reporting symptoms of distress, although the rates are stable among teenage boys, according to a major survey of 14-year-olds carried out for the Department for Education.

Among the girls, 37% reported feeling unhappy, worthless or unable to concentrate, more than twice the percentage of boys reporting such feelings, a rise since a study in 2005, which was described by the researchers as “an important and significant trend”. The figure for the girls had risen by nearly four percentage points since 2005, while the figure for boys, 15%, had fallen slightly.

The rise was pronounced in young people living in single-parent households or with stepfamilies, and those with a long-standing illness or disability affecting their education. Poor sleeping patterns, including sleeping for less than the recommended amount, were reported among many of those reporting other problems, and will be followed up in later reports.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said the mental health of the young was a priority area.

“Children’s mental health is a priority for this government and we know that intervening early can have a lasting impact,” he said. “We are putting a record £1.4bn into transforming the dedicated mental health support available to young people across the country and are working to strengthen the links between schools and mental health services.

“We are also driving forward innovations to improve prevention and early support, by investing £1.5m on peer-support networks in schools so children feel empowered to help one another.”

There was some good news in the report, which found that the teenagers were more serious than their predecessors, less likely to be play truant, more convinced of the importance of hard work, and “markedly” less prone to risky behaviour including smoking, drinking and drug-taking. In 2005, 30% admitted to drinking alcohol, but this had fallen to 12%. Reported drug-taking was also down, and truancy had fallen from 21% to 11%. There was a sharp fall – from 23% in 2005 to 16% in 2014 – in teenagers reporting that their parents had kept them out of school for reasons other than illness.

The situation outlined in the report, based on in-depth interviews with thousands of teenagers in year 10 in England, was described by Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, as “a slow-growing epidemic”.

Wallace told The Times that her charity had been contacted by worried school heads. “There definitely does seem to be something happening – it’s a slow- growing epidemic,” she said. “Over the period covered by the report we have seen a very disturbing change in admissions to hospital for self-harm in under-16s that have gone up by 52%.”

The report found the problems were more marked among both girls and boys of parents educated to degree level, which the researchers said could be partly due to peer pressure and pushy parents. There had also been “a small but statistically significant” worsening in young people’s belief that they could influence their own destinies – more marked in households where at least one parent was out of work.

The researchers – who will continue to follow up the group of teenagers interviewed – said there appeared to be less stress, possibly because of lower expectations, among those from more disadvantaged social backgrounds.

“There may be some ways in which having lower social status may be associated with lower levels of expectation for school success and lower levels of associated pressure. Another possible explanation is that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds may be more resilient in the face of [stress factors] associated with a more challenging economic and school environment.”

Third of teenage girls in England experience depression and anxiety

Teenage girls" mental health overlooked by parents, survey finds

Mother and father are worrying far more about drug and alcohol use by their teenage daughters than the a lot more prevalent “mental anguish” they face each day, a survey has advised.

Young girls stated mental well being, cyberbullying and jobs were the greatest worries in their lives, and an escalating amount considered self-harm and depression as the most considerable well being problems dealing with their peers, above drug or alcohol abuse.

Sarah Brennan, the chief executive of mental health charity YoungMinds, said the findings of Girlguiding’s Girls’ Frame of mind Survey 2015 had been a wake-up phone and highlighted the psychological anguish so many women encounter every day.

According to the survey, most women (58%) aged 13 to 21 believed psychological overall health was a severe concern, a lot more than a third (37%) said they have been anxious about cyberbullying, and 36% explained they fretted about not currently being ready to get a work.

But teenage ladies felt misunderstood by grownups, saying their mothers and fathers worried a lot more about drug and alcohol use than psychological illness.

Two out of 5 of the ladies (42%) said their mothers and fathers have been concerned about drug use, 33% about alcohol, and 29% about smoking, although people aged 16 to 21 believed unplanned teenage pregnancy (42%) and risky or unprotected sex (34%) were the best source of fret.

Katherine Bradfield, 18, from Belfast, who is about to begin her research at Leeds University, believes the pressures on youthful individuals are modifying.

She explained: “I absolutely feel that for people my age the pressures and the difficulties they are dealing with are changing from what you may possibly traditionally think – items like peer stress and medicines and alcohol, which are certainly nevertheless really massive difficulties.

“But I consider much less talked about difficulties like psychological wellness, sexual harassment and consuming problems are turning out to be a great deal a lot more prevalent at the minute, and I consider ladies are really beginning to pick up on that, and it’s turning out to be a bit more nicely-talked about.”

The survey located self-harming was the greatest health concern for girls.

3-quarters (75%) of those aged 11 to 21 explained it was a serious overall health issue for individuals their age, up from 62% in 2010, and 72% stated smoking was, down from 82% 5 years in the past.

Concern for mental illness and depression has risen significantly amongst teenagers. In 2010, just above half (56%) considered it a severe overall health dilemma amid their peers, in contrast to 69% who did this yr.

While four out of five girls (82%) aged eleven to 21 mentioned grownups do not recognise the stress they are beneath, 62% knew a woman their age who had skilled a mental overall health issue, according to the survey.

But, regardless of the increasing concern reported, over half of girls (57%) stated they felt awkward talking about mental health, growing to 66% amongst individuals aged 17 to 21.

Julie Bentley, chief executive of Girlguiding, which runs a peer education programme to inspire women to talk about their problems, explained: “The findings in the year’s Girls’ Attitudes Survey give a stark warning about the fragile state of British girls’ well becoming.

“We require the help of decision makers to start an open conversation about girls’ concerns. By listening to women, we can work together to tackle the root brings about of their distress – and champion their potential.”

Brennan, of YoungMinds, joined calls for higher mental overall health assistance for young girls, saying: “Parents and carers must also be offered the expertise, equipment and info to aid kids as they journey by way of the emotional turmoil that goes with becoming a younger grownup, and spotting the indicators if they are struggling.”

Teenage girls" mental health overlooked by parents, survey finds

Today"s teenage women will dedicate 9 years of their lives to unpaid care

The report identified a “marked gender inequality in unpaid care provision” which only reverses at 65, when males retire, and they are probably to devote 2.seven many years of their lives caring in contrast to two.six many years for females.

Steve McIntosh, policy manager at Carers Uk, mentioned: “For us it illustrates that, whilst care is a natural element of lifestyle, since we have an ageing population, since daily life expectancy is going up and healthful existence expectancy hasn’t kept pace, in previous age folks are needing a lot a lot more care.

“Whilst there are already massive pressures on people in their 50s and 60s, that is only going to expand for women and teenagers.

“As they reach their 50s, today’s teenager are going to encounter juggling mothers and fathers who need far more care at a time when you have significantly larger workplace inclusion for women and ladies are getting young children later in life.”

General five.eight million men and women in England and Wales – 10 per cent of the population – are providing unpaid care to sick, disabled or elderly loved ones, like 3.3 million ladies. This is an enhance of 600,000 given that 2001.

The report says: “An ageing population also increases the likelihood of a person turning out to be an informal carer, particularly throughout their operating many years. This kind of care provision has even been shown to have an unfavourable affect on a carer’s overall health and can influence labour market place participation.”

The ONS examination discovered that in which a man or woman lives impacts on the volume of care they will provide, with unpaid care highest in components of Merseyside, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. In contrast the lowest numbers of unpaid carers have been located in London.

A 50-yr-old girl in St Helens will invest 19.6 per cent of her life caring for other individuals, while in West London that percentage drops to 12.2. The places with the highest amounts “are between the most deprived authorities in England”, the report notes.

Mr McIntosh stated that with an ever escalating require for men and women to care for their loved ones, produced worse by cuts to regional authority budgets, a “step change” is essential.

“There is a genuine message to the Government that except if social care companies are funded in a sustainable way we are going to see more and much more folks in their 50s and 60s will have to give up their jobs at a enormous price to them and also to the economic system,” he explained.

The charity is calling for versatile hours for carers in the exact same way parents are able to function close to their childcare and for a paid leave allowance to deal with emergency care issues.

Today"s teenage women will dedicate 9 years of their lives to unpaid care

Stephen Sutton"s legacy to consist of further beds and nurses for teenage cancer individuals

His JustGiving webpage broke all information for the website, like the most funds raised by an individual and the most donors – more than 162,000 – who have sent money from 94 different nations from Andorra to Zimbabwe.

The Teenage Cancer Trust stated these days that the cash raised by Stephen would go to assisting the seven younger people diagnosed with cancer each day in the United kingdom.

His legacy will incorporate building new Teenage Cancer Trust units in hospitals, exactly where expert beds and widespread rooms will be supplied for sufferers aged 13 to 24. The cash will also be utilised to pay for additional teenage cancer professional nurses and youth support staff in hospitals.

A spokesman for the charity said: “Donations made to Stephen’s Story will be spent on supporting and building our vitally critical providers created to assist the 7 young folks, like Stephen, who are diagnosed with cancer each day.

“This involves the advancement of new Teenage Cancer Trust units as properly as supporting our existing network of 28 units in NHS hospitals across the United kingdom. We will also be in a position to enhance the variety of expert nurses and youth help coordinators we give, as properly as keep our schooling operate.”

Teenage Cancer Trust units guarantee that youthful men and women are handled alongside folks their personal age, by nurses who specialise in the healthcare and emotional requirements of teenage cancer individuals. With out the charity’s work, sufferers beneath the age of 16 would be taken care of on children’s wards, alongside toddlers, although in excess of-16s would be on adult wards, alongside pensioners, in line with NHS policy.

The units can value anything at all from £250,000 to much more than £3 million, based on the variety of beds and no matter whether an current ward is refurbished or an entirely new developing is needed.

The charity money 27 specialist nurses and 21 youth assistance co-ordinators, who are all primarily based in NHS hospitals. The 28 Teenage Cancer Believe in units in England, Scotland and Wales have all around 220 beds, though numbers vary based on demand. The units also have common rooms with computers, pool tables and other actions the place individuals can meet every other and socialise.

The Nationwide Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) has endorsed the TCT model as the best way of caring for teenagers and young adults with cancer.

Stephen, of Burntwood, Staffs., was taken care of in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, exactly where he eventually died.

Stephen Sutton"s legacy to consist of further beds and nurses for teenage cancer individuals

Stephen Sutton: condition of teenage cancer patient and fundraiser worsens

Stephen Sutton was re-admitted to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth hospital at the weekend after building breathing issues. Photograph: Stephen Sutton/PA

The family members a teenager with terminal cancer who has raised millions for charity have said his issue has deteriorated.

Stephen Sutton, 19, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, was re-admitted to hospital at the weekend with breathing difficulties.

On Tuesday his loved ones stated they had been advised the breathlessness was due to the regrowth of tumours that were blocking the teenager’s airways and explained his condition had deteriorated in the last 24 hrs.

Posting on the teenager’s Facebook site, his family said: “Hi absolutely everyone, this is Stephen’s loved ones.

“Regrettably in the last 24 hrs Stephen’s condition has deteriorated to in which he can no longer communicate by way of this webpage himself.

“Unfortunately the breathlessness which had him re-admitted to hospital is due to the regrowth of tumours which are blocking his airways, and not just due to infection as we had all been hoping.

“He is presently relaxed and steady, and we will let you know of any even more developments. Correct now nevertheless, as a family, we wish for a particular sum of privacy for us to devote what time he has remaining with him.

“We enjoy everyone’s concern, and for all the love and goodwill sent his way, and certainly ours too, we thank you deeply x.”

Sutton, who set up a bucket checklist of things to do before he died, has smashed his unique £10,000 fundraising target, raising a lot more than £3m for the Teenage Cancer Believe in.

His fundraising efforts have attracted assistance from celebrities which includes Simon Pegg, Russell Brand, Stephen Fry and Simon Cowell.

Much more than 135,000 person donations have been manufactured on Sutton’s Just Giving page with help coming from close to the world.

Donations to the fundraising page, which he set up in January 2013 alongside a weblog on Facebook, leaped final month after he posted a picture of himself in hospital with a “goodbye” message.

But he created what he described as a miraculous recovery – coughing up a tumour and becoming discharged from hospital on 2 Might.

The teenager was re-admitted to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth hospital at the weekend soon after building breathing troubles.

Commenting on his Facebook web page, which had more than 800,000 likes, on Sunday, Sutton wrote: “Regrettably these days I’ve ended up back in hospital. I had some breathing difficulties starting up last evening and soon after going to A&ampE have been admitted back to a ward for monitoring.

“I have nevertheless acquired the cough, then fairly speedily created a wheeze in my breathing and breathlessness upon any bodily exertion.

“There is no quick panic and I am presently fairly steady – I have been place on nebulisers and other meds which are currently assisting my symptoms hugely.”

The teenager was diagnosed with bowel cancer when he was 15. Despite treatment, his tumours spread and he was informed his condition was incurable in December 2012.

Stephen Sutton: condition of teenage cancer patient and fundraiser worsens

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations pass £2.5m

That prompted JustGiving itself to donate £50,000 to mark the record Stephen has set. It Tweeted: “Stephen we think you are remarkable. It’s been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You’ve now broken all fundraising information on JustGiving – so right here is a special donation from JustGiving.”

Much more than 106,000 individual donations have now been produced on the teenager’s JustGiving web page, the bulk of them modest sums this kind of ranging from £5 to £20.

Stephen, was diagnosed four many years in the past with bowel cancer and regardless of surgical treatment, the aggressive cancer spread to distinct elements of his entire body. After further remedy and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.

The teenagers response was not to despair but to increase cash for charity as component of a bucket-record of items to do ahead of he died, and it has been his zest and enthusiasm for adventure which appears to have inspired so many people to make donations in his honour.

He has taken component in a charity skydive, bungee jumped, organised a fundraising football match and a flashmob, watched rugby at Twickenham, flown first class, acquired a tattoo, hugged an animal bigger than him, learnt to juggle, ridden a Segway and even identified someone with much more surgical scars than him.

Even now to be completed is a trip to the ruins of Machu Picchu, in Peru, travel to Australia and dancing with carnival goers in Brazil.

Sadly, it looked doubtful as to no matter whether Stephen would ever be capable to complete his record.

His overall health took a flip for the worse on Tuesday and he believed death was quick approaching. True to character he posted a photograph of himself in his Birmingham hospital bed on Facebook, giving a thumbs up, with the message: “I’ve done nicely to blag items as well as I have up till now, but regrettably I feel this is just one hurdle as well far.”

Two days later he up to date his followers with much better information. Regardless of a single of his lungs collapsing he was still alive. Writing on Facebook on Friday, he mentioned he considered he had been a “goner”, but was “still fighting”.

The ups and downs of Stephen’s situation have had the result of galvanising donations nonetheless more.

Kate Collins, director of fundraising at the Teenage Cancer Believe in, explained: “There is always the emotion that sits around an individual of Stephen’s age dealing with the finish of his existence, which is amazingly unhappy and happens much more often that men and women genuinely know. But it is the way Stephen has communicated which is past examine.”

She stated the money raised would consider the charity to “a whole other level”, incorporating: “I’m totally confident this will move the support we can give youthful individuals with cancer and their households to a different area. It’s a remarkable legacy.”

One of the strategies of Stephen’s phenomenal fundraising accomplishment is the way he has managed to harnessed social media. Along with his Facebook page, he has a Twitter feed, YouTube channel and Tumblr and Instagram pages. Stephen has also posted a new film about his life on YouTube.

The result has been a raft of celebrities Tweeting photographs of themselves with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding indications encouraging folks to donate.

The campaign was originally championed by Jason Manford, the comedian, who mentioned he had met Stephen at charity gigs and was bowled over by his good perspective as he strove to make the ideal of his circumstance.

Cancer survivor Hannah Merridale, 29, who had the middle and lower lobe of her proper lung removed following she produced a carcinoid tumour, pledged to run the Clapham 10K Race For Daily life on Might 31, in Stephen’s honour.

She stated: “1 of the factors on his bucket list is to inspire an individual to increase funds for charity and I am going to do just that.”

On Friday Stephen, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, wrote: “I don’t want to over dramatise factors as well significantly, but I do just want to mention that everyone’s optimistic ideas and support has been hugely appreciated, so thank you for that.

“The tumours in my physique are nonetheless rife and harmful, but I feel so fortunate to just nevertheless be right here, and in truth I truly feel fully privileged to be in this place in which I can help make such a distinction to other folks folks lives..”

To donate, pay a visit to http://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations pass £2.5m

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations pass £2.6m

That prompted JustGiving itself to donate £50,000 to mark the record Stephen has set. It Tweeted: “Stephen we consider you are wonderful. It is been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You’ve now broken all fundraising records on JustGiving – so right here is a specific donation from JustGiving.”

Far more than 106,000 individual donations have now been created on the teenager’s JustGiving web page, the bulk of them modest sums this kind of ranging from £5 to £20.

Stephen, was diagnosed four many years ago with bowel cancer and regardless of surgery, the aggressive cancer spread to diverse elements of his body. Following additional remedy and operations, medical doctors concluded it was incurable.

The teenagers response was not to despair but to increase income for charity as portion of a bucket-record of issues to do before he died, and it has been his zest and enthusiasm for journey which appears to have inspired so several people to make donations in his honour.

He has taken element in a charity skydive, bungee jumped, organised a fundraising football match and a flashmob, watched rugby at Twickenham, flown first class, received a tattoo, hugged an animal larger than him, learnt to juggle, ridden a Segway and even identified a person with far more surgical scars than him.

Nevertheless to be completed is a journey to the ruins of Machu Picchu, in Peru, travel to Australia and dancing with carnival goers in Brazil.

Sadly, it looked doubtful as to whether Stephen would ever be able to full his checklist.

His overall health took a turn for the worse on Tuesday and he imagined death was fast approaching. True to character he posted a photograph of himself in his Birmingham hospital bed on Facebook, offering a thumbs up, with the message: “I’ve done well to blag factors as properly as I have up till now, but unfortunately I believe this is just one particular hurdle also far.”

Two days later on he updated his followers with much better information. Regardless of one particular of his lungs collapsing he was nevertheless alive. Creating on Facebook on Friday, he mentioned he imagined he had been a “goner”, but was “still fighting”.

The ups and downs of Stephen’s issue have had the result of galvanising donations nevertheless even more.

Kate Collins, director of fundraising at the Teenage Cancer Believe in, said: “There is constantly the emotion that sits close to an individual of Stephen’s age dealing with the end of his daily life, which is amazingly unhappy and transpires more frequently that folks really know. But it is the way Stephen has communicated which is beyond compare.”

She stated the funds raised would take the charity to “a entire other level”, adding: “I’m absolutely confident this will move the assistance we can give youthful people with cancer and their families to a diverse place. It is a remarkable legacy.”

One particular of the strategies of Stephen’s phenomenal fundraising achievement is the way he has managed to harnessed social media. Along with his Facebook webpage, he has a Twitter feed, YouTube channel and Tumblr and Instagram pages. Stephen has also posted a new movie about his life on YouTube.

The consequence has been a raft of celebrities Tweeting images of themselves with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding indications encouraging men and women to donate.

The campaign was initially championed by Jason Manford, the comedian, who mentioned he had met Stephen at charity gigs and was bowled above by his constructive attitude as he strove to make the greatest of his predicament.

Cancer survivor Hannah Merridale, 29, who had the middle and reduce lobe of her correct lung removed after she produced a carcinoid tumour, pledged to run the Clapham 10K Race For Existence on Could 31, in Stephen’s honour.

She mentioned: “1 of the factors on his bucket list is to inspire somebody to raise income for charity and I am going to do just that.”

On Friday Stephen, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, wrote: “I really do not want to over dramatise factors too significantly, but I do just want to mention that everyone’s positive thoughts and help has been hugely appreciated, so thank you for that.

“The tumours in my body are even now rife and harmful, but I come to feel so fortunate to just even now be right here, and in fact I truly feel totally privileged to be in this place in which I can help make such a distinction to other people folks lives..”

To donate, go to http://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations pass £2.6m

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations hit £2.4m

More than 97,000 individual donations have now been made on Mr Sutton’s JustGiving page.

The teenager, who decided to raise the money for charity as part of a bucket-list of things to do before he died, has been blogging from hospital where his health took a turn for the worse on Tuesday.

Writing on Facebook yesterday, he said he thought he had been a “goner”, but was “still fighting” as donations from the public continued to flood in.

He has enjoyed support from a host of celebrities who have taken to Twitter, posing for pictures with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding signs to encourage people to donate.

The campaign was originally championed by comedian Jason Manford, who said he had previously met the teenager at charity gigs and was bowled over by his positivity as he strove to make the best of his situation.

Yesterday Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, wrote: “I am still in a very vulnerable position. I am very limited in what I can do and am still permanently hooked up to oxygen.

“But I am in high spirits and blessed to have so much love and support around me.

“To get to see the million pound fund-raising target being reached was just phenomenal!”

The teenager was diagnosed with what was initially bowel cancer when he was 15.

Despite surgery, the aggressive cancer spread to different parts of his body and, after further treatment and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.

Mr Sutton set up his charity fundraising website and blog on Facebook in January last year to keep people up to date with his progress.

Siobhan Dunn, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, praised the inspiring teenager and ambassador for the charity.

She said: “I’ve had the privilege of meeting him and his positivity is always remembered by all that meet him or hear him speak.

“Stephen is making the biggest possible difference to Teenage Cancer Trust and the young people who need our help.”

Speaking previously, Mr Sutton said he disliked the term “dying from my cancer – I am living with my cancer, despite it being there”.

His bucket-list of 46 things to do before he died included things like hugging an elephant, crowd-surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing the drums at a Wembley cup final, getting a tattoo and appearing on BBC drama Doctors.

To donate, visit http://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the web as donations hit £2.4m

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on-line as donations hit £2.4m

More than 97,000 individual donations have now been made on Mr Sutton’s JustGiving page.

The teenager, who decided to raise the money for charity as part of a bucket-list of things to do before he died, has been blogging from hospital where his health took a turn for the worse on Tuesday.

Writing on Facebook yesterday, he said he thought he had been a “goner”, but was “still fighting” as donations from the public continued to flood in.

He has enjoyed support from a host of celebrities who have taken to Twitter, posing for pictures with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding signs to encourage people to donate.

The campaign was originally championed by comedian Jason Manford, who said he had previously met the teenager at charity gigs and was bowled over by his positivity as he strove to make the best of his situation.

Yesterday Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, wrote: “I am still in a very vulnerable position. I am very limited in what I can do and am still permanently hooked up to oxygen.

“But I am in high spirits and blessed to have so much love and support around me.

“To get to see the million pound fund-raising target being reached was just phenomenal!”

The teenager was diagnosed with what was initially bowel cancer when he was 15.

Despite surgery, the aggressive cancer spread to different parts of his body and, after further treatment and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.

Mr Sutton set up his charity fundraising website and blog on Facebook in January last year to keep people up to date with his progress.

Siobhan Dunn, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, praised the inspiring teenager and ambassador for the charity.

She said: “I’ve had the privilege of meeting him and his positivity is always remembered by all that meet him or hear him speak.

“Stephen is making the biggest possible difference to Teenage Cancer Trust and the young people who need our help.”

Speaking previously, Mr Sutton said he disliked the term “dying from my cancer – I am living with my cancer, despite it being there”.

His bucket-list of 46 things to do before he died included things like hugging an elephant, crowd-surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing the drums at a Wembley cup final, getting a tattoo and appearing on BBC drama Doctors.

To donate, visit http://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on-line as donations hit £2.4m

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the internet

A lot more than 97,000 personal donations have now been produced on Mr Sutton’s JustGiving page.

The teenager, who made the decision to raise the money for charity as element of a bucket-listing of things to do before he died, has been blogging from hospital exactly where his overall health took a flip for the worse on Tuesday.

Writing on Facebook yesterday, he explained he thought he had been a “goner”, but was “still fighting” as donations from the public continued to flood in.

He has loved support from a host of celebrities who have taken to Twitter, posing for photos with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding indicators to inspire individuals to donate.

The campaign was initially championed by comedian Jason Manford, who said he had previously met the teenager at charity gigs and was bowled more than by his positivity as he strove to make the best of his scenario.

Yesterday Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, wrote: “I am still in a very vulnerable place. I am really limited in what I can do and am still completely hooked up to oxygen.

“But I am in high spirits and blessed to have so significantly love and support all around me.

“To get to see the million pound fund-raising target being reached was just phenomenal!”

The teenager was diagnosed with what was at first bowel cancer when he was 15.

Despite surgical treatment, the aggressive cancer spread to various elements of his body and, soon after even more remedy and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.

Mr Sutton set up his charity fundraising web site and site on Facebook in January final 12 months to keep men and women up to date with his progress.

Siobhan Dunn, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, praised the inspiring teenager and ambassador for the charity.

She explained: “I’ve had the privilege of meeting him and his positivity is often remembered by all that meet him or hear him communicate.

“Stephen is producing the biggest possible big difference to Teenage Cancer Believe in and the younger people who require our assist.”

Speaking previously, Mr Sutton said he disliked the term “dying from my cancer – I am living with my cancer, despite it becoming there”.

His bucket-record of 46 items to do prior to he died integrated issues like hugging an elephant, crowd-surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing the drums at a Wembley cup ultimate, receiving a tattoo and appearing on BBC drama Medical professionals.

To donate, pay a visit to http://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.

Teenage cancer patient Stephen Sutton posts "life story" on the internet

Laboratory-grown vaginas implanted in teenage girls

Laboratory-grown vaginas engineered from the patients’ personal cells have been implanted into four teenage ladies.

Exams showed that the organs, constructed from muscle cells and the epithelial cells which line body cavities, functioned normally.

The girls, who had been aged 13 to 18 at the time of the surgical treatment, were born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.

In ladies with the rare genetic problem, the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent. A questionnaire evaluation showed that sexual perform was normal following therapy, the researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Health care Centre in Winston-Salem, US reported in The Lancet medical journal.

Cells have been grown in the laboratory before being placed on a biodegradable scaffold that was hand-sewn into the correct shape.

Every scaffold was tailor-manufactured to match the patient.

Laboratory-grown vaginas implanted in teenage girls

Teenage girls need better accessibility to morning-after pill – Great

‘Evidence plainly demonstrates that the availability of contraception lowers the charge of unwanted pregnancies.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

Teenage women need to be given greater entry to the morning-soon after pill in schools and GP surgeries alongside free condoms, according to new advice.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Good) explained under-25s – such as people underneath the age of consent – need to be able to entry emergency contraception much more readily.

Free of charge condoms – like female condoms – must also be “readily available” for young guys and females at places such as “colleges, schools and youth clubs”.

The new guidance is aimed at cutting the higher numbers of undesirable teenage pregnancies across England.

Below the strategies, Wonderful mentioned suitably competent nurses (such as school nurses) and pharmacists should be provided the ability to dispense cost-free emergency contraceptive drugs in accordance with patient group directions (PGDs). PGDs permit overall health staff to supply a medicine straight to a patient without having the want for a prescription.

There are two types of emergency contraceptive pill. Levonelle has to be taken within 72 hrs (3 days) of sex, and ellaOne has to be taken within 120 hrs (five days) of intercourse. Meanwhile, an IUD can be inserted up to 5 days following unprotected sex.

Great also renewed its 2010 get in touch with for youthful folks to be offered emergency contraception to preserve at property in situation they require it. And it explained young ladies have to be advised of locations they can obtain free, confidential pregnancy tests with same-day outcomes. Youthful females ought to also be “encouraged to take into account and select a appropriate type of contraception for their long term demands”, the advice mentioned.

Regarding below-16s, Nice stated health experts offering emergency contraception have to be mindful that they can give it to underneath-16s “with out parental expertise or consent, in accordance with ideal practice advice”.

It extra: “Health professionals, such as pharmacists, who are unwilling (or unable) to supply emergency contraception must give younger women information of other neighborhood providers where they can be witnessed urgently.”

Wonderful explained younger individuals need to be offered access to contraception and suggestions at practical areas so nobody is denied solutions due to the fact of where they dwell.

Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public wellness at Great, explained: “It is truly critical that sexual wellness solutions supplying data and advice can be found in spots in which young men and women have accessibility to them.

“Evidence clearly shows that the availability of contraception reduces the charge of unwanted pregnancies. Neighborhood planners and companies of services have to make confident that what they offer is appropriate for their region.

“Youthful folks often find contraceptive companies and advice challenging to locate. This can be for a amount of reasons. They may possibly not know the place solutions are, who gives them or when they are open. They can also be wrongly worried that information they give could not be taken care of confidentially. For that explanation, this guidance focuses on ensuring they acquire culturally sensitive, confidential, non-judgmental and empathic guidance and assistance tailored to their individual needs.”

The guidance also mentioned condoms should always be supplied in addition to other kinds of contraception to reduce the charge of sexually transmitted infections.

Anne Weyman, chair of the independent committee that produced the guidance and former chief executive of the Family members Preparing Association (FPA), said: “Most sexually lively younger women use at least one method of contraception. The great information is that the amount of under-18s turning into pregnant is falling. But we truly need to create on this latest progress simply because England nevertheless has one of the highest teen pregnancy prices in Europe.

“Most of the youthful girls who turn into pregnant even though nonetheless a teenager do not plan to do so. Practically half of all pregnancies among 15-to-18-year-olds end with an abortion.

“The new advice aims to decrease undesirable pregnancies by ensuring that younger men and women have access to a complete selection of contraceptive strategies, not just capsules and condoms, but the longer-acting approaches, such as contraceptive injections and implants. We also require to make confident that younger individuals get very good contraceptive advice so that they can pick and use the right strategy for them.

“As properly as the pointless heartache for these young ladies, undesired pregnancies also have a economic cost, with abortions for youthful females underneath 25 costing the NHS roughly £53m every single yr. Investing in contraceptive companies is a very good use of funds.”

Office for Nationwide Statistics figures launched in February showed that the United kingdom beneath-18 conception rate stays the lowest because 1969, at 27.9 per one,000 women aged 15 to 17. The amount of pregnancies in individuals under 18 fell to 27,834 in 2012 in contrast with 31,051 in 2011 – a ten% drop. Some five,432 below-16s fell pregnant in 2012, compared with 5,991 in 2011.

Amid below-16s, three,251 pregnancies resulted in abortion – 59.eight% of the total. This is down on 60.2% the previous yr and 62.5% the 12 months ahead of that.

The figures also revealed that 253 women underneath 14 fell pregnant in 2012, fewer than the preceding year, with nearly three-quarters having an abortion.

Teenage girls need better accessibility to morning-after pill – Great

Teenage women will be in a position to stock up on morning-following pill below new NHS guidance

Mr Hunt is understood to have opposed the strategies, amid concern that there is minor proof it would lessen undesired pregnancies and fears it would lead to improved charges of sexually transmitted illnesses.

The new guidance says that the pills can be offered in advance, if these seeking it are using approaches of contraception, such as condoms or the Pill, which can be topic to “user failure”.

It also says school nurses need to be able to dispense totally free emergency contraception to pupils, even though pharmacists — who typically charge £25 for the capsules — should be ready to dispense pills free.

The new guidance, aimed at cutting the higher numbers of undesired teenage pregnancies in England, also says totally free condoms should be “readily accessible” for youthful guys and women at places this kind of as “schools, colleges and youth clubs”.

Josephine Quintavalle, from the strain group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: “I feel it is genuinely worrying and deeply unwise. Possessing a stockpile of the morning-following pill on hand is a licence for unprotected sex, and that puts young ladies at increased chance of sexually transmitted conditions.”

Roger Goss, from Patient Concern, mentioned: “It would seem like a way of advertising promiscuity.”

There has been a extended-operating debate about no matter whether provision of advance contraception minimizes undesirable pregnancy rates.

The new Great guidance says: “The proof displays that advance provision of oral emergency contraception does not encourage risky behaviour between younger men and women. Evidence also displays that girls who have emergency contraception in advance are much more probably to use it, and to use it sooner after unprotected intercourse.”

But final yr an global expert warned towards the technique. Prof James Trussell, of Princeton University, explained there was no proof that such schemes minimize pregnancy charges. He informed the American Society for Reproductive Medication that females with access to advance emergency contraception had been a lot more probably to have unprotected sexual intercourse, as they came to regard the morning-following pill as a safety net.

The Good guidance advises health experts that emergency contraception can be provided to women beneath sixteen “without parental understanding or consent, in accordance with ideal practice guidance”.

Prof Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public wellness at Great, said: “Evidence obviously displays that the availability of contraception lowers the price of undesirable pregnancies.”

Teenage women will be in a position to stock up on morning-following pill below new NHS guidance

Teenage girls who are obese do a grade worse at college, research finds

In English, maths and science, obese women acquired benefits that have been decrease by an amount equivalent to a D instead of a C, which was the regular in the sample.

Josie Booth, from Dundee University’s college of psychology, said: ”There is a clear pattern which shows that ladies who are in the obese range are performing far more poorly than their counterparts in the wholesome bodyweight variety all through their teenage years.”

Professor John Reilly, the lead investigator from Strathclyde University, said: ”Further work is essential to understand why obesity is negatively relevant to academic attainment, but it is clear that youngsters, dad and mom and policy-makers in education and public wellness should be conscious of the lifelong educational and financial effect of obesity.”

The researchers mentioned they took into account potentially distorting factors, such as poorer background, IQ and the age the women started menstruating, but found they did not affect the general outcomes.

The review published in the Global Journal Of Obesity was funded by a Bupa Foundation grant to Strathclyde University.

Teenage girls who are obese do a grade worse at college, research finds