Colin's Comments

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Young People risking Health Problems Due to Vitamin Deficiency

Young people risking health problems due to vitamin defiency

Young people in Britain risk suffering health problems due to a chronic lack of vitamins in their diet, experts have warned.

New research from Boots Health Club on young people & health that has an uncommon ring of actual nutritional science to it.

Link courtesy of The Daily Mail.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Tons of interesting young people stories in the press over the last few days. Here are a selection, as ever, click on the headline for link to the source of the story.


The Trouble With Childhood

From: The Scotsman

MORE than 100 academics, teachers, psychologists, children's authors and other experts yesterday called for a major public debate on child-rearing in the 21st century. The escalating incidence of childhood depression is caused, they suggested, by a lack of understanding, by both politicians and public, of the realities and subtleties of child development

Calls to Teach First Aid in Buchan Schools

From: The Buchan Observer

Young people in Buchan should learn first aid at school according to a campaign launched on World First Aid Day by the British Red Cross.

New research by Ipsos MORI found 96% of Scots believe that young people should learn basic first aid skills at school.

Youth Matters: Children & Young Peoples Plans ignore youth.


From: Young People Now

Local authorities are not paying enough attention to youth work when drawing up their children and young people's plans, a report suggests.

The interim report, by the National Foundation for Educational Research, investigates how children and young people's plans contribute to the outcomes in Every Child Matters.

Heads Back Calls for School Drug Tests

From: the Scotsman

SCHOOLCHILDREN should be subject to random drug tests under government-approved pilot schemes, Scotland's leading expert on substance misuse said yesterday.

Young Men Prefer Steroids to Workouts

From: The Telegraph

Young men are increasingly turning to anabolic steroids as a short cut to the perfect body, a charity claimed yesterday.

A nationwide survey by Drugscope found that the performance-enhancing substances had crossed over from athletes and body builders to the mainstream as men wanted to look good on the beach or the dancefloor without putting in too much effort.

Schools welcome 'parents as partners'

From: the Scottish Executive e-mail Daily Digest

The new Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act, passed in May 2006, is now in force, aiming to give parents a stronger voice and get more parents more involved in their child's education and school life

Do young get hooked on mobiles?

From: The Herald

THE WAY young people use mobile phones has direct similarities with the behaviour of addicted gamblers, according to research.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Young People: Guilty Till Proven Innocent


I just discovered this weekly internet only magazine The Friday Thing . Beware it trumpets itself as follows:

“The Friday Thing is a fiercely independent weekly email comment sheet. Casting a cynical eye over the week's events, it is rarely fair and never balanced”

You could waste a lot of time on there looking at some slightly flippant and challenging views. The article I’ve linked to from last Friday’s edition (click on the headline) is not quite what you’d expect from the title. Very entertainingly argued…

Up in smoke


Interesting, though lengthy and tortuously argued article from the Scotsman, suggesting that more young people will start smoking as a form of rebellion against the strength of the health promotion message against it. Also refers to ‘Death Cigarettes’ apparently an actual brand, marketed with a skull and crossbones package which actually attracted more young people to start smoking.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Youngsters 'suspicious' of database

A controversial national database of every child in the country may deter youngsters from asking for help with pregnancy and mental health problems, according to new research conducted by the
NSPCC for the CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER.

See the story in the Guardian
HERE