Wanderlust

Tag: teen

  • Why young people are now less likely to smoke

     Image copyright iStock

    All age groups in the UK are smoking less – but the largest decrease is among 18- to 24-year-olds, according to the Office of National Statistics. Why is that?

    Fewer start smoking

    The latest figures, for 2015, suggest one in every five (20.7%) 18- to 24-year-olds is a smoker.

    In 2010, this figure was one in every four (25.8%).

    Today, about 70% of 16- to 24-year-olds have never started smoking cigarettes in the first place, the data suggests – up from 46% in 1974, when records began.

    And even among the age group most likely to smoke, 24- to 35-year-olds, about 60% – up from 35% in 1974 – have never picked up the habit.

    Image copyright iStock

    More are quitting

    The new data suggests 23.3% of 16- to 24-year-olds quit smoking in 2015, compared with 21.4% in 2010 and 13.4% in 1974.

    Ash says this has been “achieved through a combination of effective legislation, policy and support for adults to quit over many decades – much of which has had a big impact on youth uptake as well as quitting”.

    Policy director Hazel Cheeseman says: “Creating an environment in which fewer young people try smoking and more smokers quit will protect the health of future generations and avoid hundreds and thousands of premature deaths.

    “However, the achievements made to date are at risk.

    “The government must urgently publish a new tobacco control plan for England and ensure this is properly funded.”

    Image copyright PA

    The rise of vaping

    In 2015, three out of every 100 16- to 24-year-olds used electronic cigarettes, up from one in every 100 in 2014, the new data suggests.

    And, in total, 2.3 million people in the UK are using them – half in order to stop smoking.

    But some are concerned vaping could prove a gateway to smoking for teenagers.

    And critics say the fruit flavours of some e-cigarettes could make them more appealing to children.

    In December 2016, the US Surgeon General said the use of e-cigarettes by children was “a major public health concern”.

    But Ash says the latest figures “confirm that most users are smokers or ex-smokers”.

    “The figures also highlight that most users are seeking to improve their health, with the most common reason for use being as an aid to quit smoking,” it says.

    “Where smokers make a complete switch, they can expect to significantly reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals which cause cancer and other smoking-related illnesses.”

    Paul Hunt, managing director of e-cigarette manufacturer V2Cigs.co.uk, said: “E-cigarettes are supporting thousands of people in quitting smoking every day.

    “Information from the NHS states that people who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking can expect similar or better results than when using other nicotine replacement therapies.”

    “Of those people who combined NHS stop smoking support with e-cigarettes, two out of three were successful in quitting.”

    “As they eliminate chemicals found in regular cigarettes, such as tar, and allow people control over the amount of nicotine they’re consuming, e-cigarettes are a great tool in overcoming smoking addiction.”

  • Jordan Burling death: Teenager had ‘lowest BMI doctor had seen’

    Jordan Burling Image copyright West Yorkshire Police Image caption Paramedics attempted to avoid wasting Jordan Burling at his Leeds house in 2016, with police later known as to the address

    An emaciated 18-12 months-old guy who died in his Leeds home had the lowest body mass index (BMI) an skilled dietitian had ever noticed, a court docket heard.

    Jordan Burling died after going into cardiac arrest in the living room of his house in Farnley, Leeds, in June 2016.

    Leeds Crown Court heard peak and weight measurements taken all through his put up-mortem examination found out a BMI of 13.6, which is of “critical thinness”.

    His mother, grandmother and sister deny manslaughter.

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    Symbol caption Denise Cranston, 70, Abigail Burling, 25, and Dawn Cranston, 45, all deny manslaughter

    No signs hooked up to consuming conditions comparable to anorexia or bulimia had been recorded in Jordan’s case and gastro-intestinal illnesses together with coeliac and Crohn’s were also ruled out.

    She predicted he had skilled “a minimum of six months of malnutrition” and was glad there has been “nothing medically” that might have led to his condition.

    While requested through Nicholas Lumley QUALITY CONTROLS, prosecuting, what treatment Mr Burling could have required, she told the jury he would have had to take on nutritional fluids very slowly to circumvent the doubtless fatal effects of “re-feeding syndrome” the place a starved affected person is given an excessive amount of vitamins too quickly.

    Dr Lowdon mentioned an adult male affected person of Mr Burling’s BMI might have required an preliminary 185 calories an afternoon, with a wholesome grownup male requiring up to THREE,000.

    Image caption Jordan shared his Farnley house together with his mom, grandmother and uncle

    When asked if she had ever studied a patient with any such degree of malnutrition, she replied: “No I Have Not.. I Have by no means observed anyone with this kind of low BMI as this.”

    Mr Lumley told Dr Lowdon a relative of Mr Burling had commented Jordan gave the impression of a “World Struggle Two focus camp” victim and asked her if this was once honest.

    She responded: “Sure it is, that’s the place re-feeding got here from.

    “Prisoners from camps had been fed and started to die, that’s the place we discovered approximately re-feeding syndrome.”

    On Wednesday, the courtroom heard the reason behind his loss of life used to be “acute bronchopneumonia”, that’s likely to were because of his malnutrition, his immobility and his inflamed sores.

    The trial keeps.