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Food advice has never been easier to access. A quick search or scroll reveals endless messages about “clean eating,” superfoods, and foods to avoid. Yet despite the constant attention on nutrition, children today are growing up in an increasingly confusing food environment. Ultra-processed food intake continues to rise, while picky eating remains common and is associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake and a higher risk of being underweight (1). At the same time, childr

A conversation with Dr. Emily Smith, PhD [This blog post is an excerpt from a podcast episode. You can watch the full episode here !] For those short on time, here’s how you can use the insights from this interview right away: 1.  Help change the conversation Model person-first language (e.g., “they have anxiety” not “they’re anxious”). Avoid framing health struggles (both physical and mental) as laziness or lack of effort. Reinforce the idea that health challenges and diagno

Why strength training is safe and smart for youth Although the health benefits of exercise are widely known and going to the gym has become mainstream in North America, a recent large-scale analysis from 2020 showed that, on a global scale, the majority of children and adolescents are not currently engaging in enough daily physical activity (1). This begs the question: what can be done to encourage this age group to engage in more physical exercise? But perhaps a better way t

According to a recent review, between 90–98% of youth in the Global North (Canada, USA, UK, Australia) have at least one social media account (1). However, while social media is often blamed for declining mental health, particularly among our still-developing and vulnerable youth, research tells a more nuanced story.  For today’s youth, social media is about more than just entertainment, it’s a place for connection, identity formation, and support. Moreover, while some studie