Surgeon General Says Covid Has Harmed Youth Mental Health
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who is also a parent, made the remarks to the Senate Finance Committee. Separately, Bloomberg reports that Wall Street firms are joining an initiative to destigmatize mental health challenges, as the industry faces issues of employee burnout.
ABC News:
Pandemic's Impact On Youth Mental Health 'Devastating': Surgeon General
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told lawmakers on Tuesday that the pandemic has had a "devastating" impact on the mental health of America's young people. "I'm deeply concerned as a parent and as a doctor that the obstacles this generation of young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate and the impact that's having on their mental health is devastating," Murthy told the Senate Finance Committee. (Livingston, 2/8)
In other news about mental health —
Bloomberg:
Wall Street Firms Join Mental-Health Program Amid Burnout Woes
Deutsche Bank AG and UBS Group AG are among six financial firms working with a New York-based nonprofit on an initiative to reduce stigma around mental-health challenges in an industry known for its demanding culture. The other firms are CVC Advisers, Mizuho Financial Group Inc., Riverside Co. and Varde Partners. They will all participate in the year-long program with NAMI-NYC, the local affiliate for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nonprofit said Tuesday in a statement. (Reyes, 2/8)
And more public health news —
The Washington Post:
‘Dangerously Hot Conditions’ Prompt Rare February Heat Alert In Los Angeles
We may be in the heart of winter, but that isn’t stopping the atmosphere from cooking up some extreme heat for parts of the West Coast. Multiple National Weather Service offices in California have opted to issue excessive heat watches ahead of climbing temperatures beginning Wednesday, an unusual measure that may be a first of its kind for February. The Weather Service warns of “dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 90 degrees possible,” noting that visitors from other states unaccustomed to the toasty weather may be at a greater risk for heat-related illnesses. The Super Bowl is Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the Cincinnati Bengals facing the Los Angeles Rams. (Cappucci and Feuerstein, 2/8)
USA Today:
Sleeping More Can Help With Weight Loss, New Study Finds
A research study published in peer-reviewed JAMA Internal Medicine has found that increasing the number of hours you sleep could help you reduce your weight by cutting your calorie intake. The 80 participants selected for the study had to fit a few criteria. They had to be 21 to 40 years old and get less than 6½ hours of sleep a night. They also had to have a body mass index of 25 to 29.9. Body mass index is the calculation of weight in kilograms divided by height, and the range specified for the study is typically classified as overweight. (Shen, 2/8)
Fox News:
Extending Sleep Can Help With Weight Loss In Adults: Study
Increasing the number of hours of sleep could help adults to lose weight, according to researchers. In a study published Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, a team from the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin–Madison conducted a randomized clinical trial among 80 adults with overweight and habitual sleep of less than 6.5 hours a night. The participants were between 21 and 40 years old and had a body mass index of 25 to 29.9, which is typically classified as overweight. (Musto, 2/8)
CBS News:
Male Enhancement Pill Sold Nationwide On Amazon Is Recalled
Certain boxes of The Red Pill — male sexual enhancement capsules sold nationwide on Amazon — are being recalled because they may contain a hidden ingredient: an unapproved drug for treatment of male erectile dysfunction. (Gibson, 2/8)
Stat:
Researchers Use Ultrasound To Precisely Activate Brain Cells In Mice
What if you could turn any neuron in the brain on or off whenever you wanted, and for however long you wanted? Researchers say that precise, targeted control of the brain’s circuits could be the key to treating everything from epilepsy to Parkinson’s disease to depression. And they’re already using a variety of tools to work toward that goal, from light to electricity to magnets. Some of these approaches are already being used in patients. A new study from scientists at the Salk Institute suggests there’s another way to stimulate neurons that would be less invasive than current methods while reaching regions deep within the brain — ultrasound. (Wosen, 2/9)
