A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Summary of key findings 12% of Australians reported experiencing levels of stress in the severe range. Young adults reported experiencing significantly higher levels of stress and significantly lower levels of wellbeing than the general population. 1 in 3 Australians reported experiencing depressive symptoms with 10% of these being in the severe range. 1 in 4 Australians reported experiencing anxiety [...]
Once again, the Mission Australia Survey of Australian Young People has shown that body image is a major cause of concern for young people. Amongst females it was the highest concern, reflecting our society's extreme emphasis on physical attractiveness defined by the media, fashion and entertainment industries. It's an indication that marketing, advertising and consumerism continue to be a [...]
Computer games and other online activities have become a multibillion dollar industry to rival hollywood. The evidence linking violent videogames with aggressive behaviour is now indisputable. In addition, the growing evidence for the addictive potential of such games is now causing concern amongst many mental health professionals with debate occurring at the highest levels about [...]
The community has spoken, and continues to speak, but does 2Day FM and Austereo have the guts to pull the plug on the country's worst role model for young people? THE number of companies that have withdrawn advertising from 2Day-FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show has grown to 40 after co-host Kyle Sandilands was publicly [...]
Kyle Sandilands' offensive and aggressive on-air behaviour continues, and the fallout for those corporations that support him is now such that they are abandoning him in droves. To summarise his most recent incident: "Sandilands apologised to news.com.au journalist Alison Stephenson after calling her a "fat slag" and a "piece of shit" - among other abusive [...]
A recent survey of school children in NSW showed that young people are spending on average 3 hours per day in front of a screen (computer or tv), the majority of which is computer time. On weekdays about 44% of primary school and 61% of secondary school children spend more than the recommended 2 hours [...]
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a byproduct of plastics that are used for food and drink packaging. There is growing concern that exposure to BPA may have adverse health effects especially in children. This study assessed the association of BPA exposure on young children while they were still in the womb (ie during gestation). and found [...]
A recent study in the USA suggests links between junk food consumption and negative behaviours greater consumption of carbonated non-diet soft drinks was associated with an increased likelihood of carrying weapons or being violent towards others. Solnick SJ and Hemenway D. The ‘Twinkie Defense': The relationship between carbonated non-diet soft drinks and violence perpetration among [...]
The law struggles to keep up with stores selling "legal highs" which are sometimes common substances such as caffeine pills but can also be more unusual and potentially dangerous ones for which there is no legal provision risk to health. Store operators are using legal loopholes to make profit often at the risk of young people's mental wellbeing.......young people are [...]
It's well known that alcohol consumption, especially excessive consumption, predisposes to mental illness. It's also known that women are more vulnerable to this risk than men. Experts are also concerned about the growing rates of alcohol abuse in teenagers as well as working age women who might feel that their consumption patterns are "normal" when in [...]
