Research Round-Up
Almost 1 in 2 Aussie Teens Living With A Chronic Disease
New research just out shows that almost half (45.6%) of Australian teens are living with chronic diseases or developmental conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism (ASD). The study has linked the conditions to unhealthy lifestyles, diets, and poor mental health, prompting calls for further research and government action.
The study, led by the University of Sydney involved a survey of over 5,000 Australian adolescents.
It is the first study of its kind in Australia to examine six unhealthy behaviours and mental health while examining their overlap with common and emerging health conditions in teens such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma, eczema, chronic fatigue, hay fever, food allergies, type 1 / type 2 diabetes, ADHD and ASD.
Lead author Dr Bridie Osman from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, says that the issue of chronic disease and developmental conditions in teenagers is often overlooked as a serious public health concern.
“When looking at each of the diseases and conditions individually, we found that consuming more ultra-processed food, alcohol, and smoking tobacco and having poorer mental health was linked to every one of the different diseases and conditions we measured.”
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO, of the Public Health Association of Australia said that this was a significant study with important findings, particularly when it comes to warnings about the increasing deterioration of young people’s diets.
“This large study offers a warning of the health impacts of unhealthy diets. The intake of ultra-processed foods amongst teens is at an all-time high and obesity has recently overtaken tobacco as Australia’s biggest cause of preventable disease.”
As an organization, NTA AU/NZ is acutely aware that this issue has been playing out for some time and the underlying driving mechanisms that have led to chronic disease in children/teens becoming an absolute epidemic. It is actually one of the reasons that led to the schools forming in Australia and New Zealand.
It’s why we now have over 8600 passionate and dedicated practitioners helping communities worldwide. Most of us are parents who know only too well the fallout of having a sick child. We also know the sheer joy of recovering our children to watch them grow into their fullest potential.
This is a call out to all parents to begin taking radical responsibility for the health of their families. We don’t need more taxpayers' money to be funneled into “research” or creating expensive and ineffective “government programs” - we know the answer because it’s staring us in the face.
We simply cannot wait for government intervention because due to industry influence and the role that plays in government decision-making at all levels, we will be waiting forever and we can no longer afford to waste time to save our next generation.
We at NTA Australia/New Zealand are here to help.
Find article resource here.
Unseen Dangers: New Data Links CT Scans to 100,000 Cancer Cases
A groundbreaking 2025 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has drawn a sobering conclusion: CT scans performed in the United States in 2023 could result in more than 100,000 future cancer cases--a staggering projection that may position CT as the source of up to 5% of annual U.S. cancer diagnoses.
“Key Findings:
Adults bear the brunt: 91% of the projected cancers occurred in adults.
Children face higher per-scan risks, with infants under one year facing up to 20 cancers per 1,000 scans.
The most common scan types causing cancer are abdominal/pelvic (37% of cases), chest (21%), and head (12%).
Most common cancers linked to CT:
Lung cancer (22,400 cases)
Colon cancer (8,700)
Leukemia (7,900)
Breast cancer (5,700)
Thyroid cancer (7,000; half in children)
Notably, this projection marks a tripling from a similar 2009 study, driven by both increased CT use and better data on scan-related radiation exposure.”
Find article resource here.
Removing Children's Tonsils and Adenoids Increases Risk for 28 Diseases, 20 year Study Finds
Results of a 20-year study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, results have compelled scientists to call for "renewed evaluation of alternatives" to this too-common procedure.The impact of tonsil and/or adenoid removal surgery on future health outcomes was deemed "considerable."
Children who had undergone tonsillectomies were found to have a nearly three-fold increase in the risk of developing certain diseases of the upper respiratory tract, including asthma, influenza, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Removal of adenoids in addition to tonsils more than quadrupled the chances of developing allergies, inner-ear inflammation, and sinusitis.
While researchers admit that a tonsillectomy may aid in the short-term reduction of ENT (ear, nose, and throat) infections and their associated discomforts, observation of health trends over the long term strongly suggests that these gains are short-lived, producing no long-term reductions in abnormal breathing, nor chronic sinusitis, two of the most common reasons for performing tonsillectomies.
Instead, risks for these problems were either significantly increased or not significantly different than for children on whom no tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy was performed. Shockingly, unrelated health problems such as certain skin diseases, and eye and parasitic infections, were 78% more prevalent in adults who had undergone one of these surgeries, as compared to adults who still had their tonsils.
Check out more information from Green Med Info’s article here.
**‘Multidimensional analysis of twin sets during an intensive week-long meditation retreat: A pilot study’**Highlighting the findings of the first study of its kind on twins, the paper investigates the impact of meditation on the brain, body, and heart during a seven-day intervention: a Week Long Advanced Retreat with Dr Joe Dispenza published findings suggest:
Meditation may increase a family of proteins called “plasmalogens” that act as antioxidants – which protect us from a number of chronic diseases and have an anti-aging effect.
Meditation may increase tryptophan metabolism. This leads to the production of serotonin – a vital mood regulator; and melatonin – a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
Meditation may elevate proteins in the blood that lead to tissue repair and regeneration.
The latest health research news from around the world, compiled by Lead Instructor and Program Director Leanne Scott, FNTP.
