About The Study: The findings of this study show a broad increase in insufficient sleep across all demographic groups, driven largely by increasing reports of very short sleep (5 hours or less). Notably, insufficient sleep increased as much or more among students without behavioral risks, suggesting that structural and environmental factors affecting most adolescents, rather than specific behaviors such as electronic media use, substance use, or sedentary activity, are contributing to wide spread sleep loss. These trends highlight the need for population-level rather than targeted interventions.

About The Study: This study found stark disparities in birth outcomes by poverty status, with inequities growing for low birth weight in recent years. These disparities point to the need for more support during pregnancy and birth for low-income families. Antipoverty policies can provide needed resources to promote better maternal and child health, although the availability and generosity of these programs vary across states. 

While decades of research have shown that students’ motivational beliefs tend to decline beginning in upper elementary school, new evidence suggests that students’ motivation during this stage is more stable than previously assumed.

In a new commentary, two deeply rooted assumptions in global demographic debates are challenged: that fertility will rebound as societies develop, and that “replacement-level fertility” is an ideal to be pursued. Drawing on the latest evidence, the authors show that neither view is supported by available data and argue that persistently low fertility can be sustainable and even economically desirable.

Research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) may finally explain why we still reach for the biscuit tin, even when we’re full. A new study reveals that the human brain continues to respond to tempting food cues even after we’ve eaten enough. In a world of endless adverts and snack cues on every corner, the team say their findings shed light on why so many of us struggle to maintain a healthy weight.