Teen Health

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Health Check Tools

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Teenagers
• Patient Handouts

Summary

As a teenager, you go through many changes. Your body is on its way to becoming its adult size. You may notice that you can't fit into your old shoes or that your jeans are now 3 inches too short. Along with these changes, you are probably becoming more independent and making more of your own choices. Some of the biggest choices you face are about your health.

Healthy habits, including eating a healthy diet and being physically active, can help you feel good, look good, and do your best in school, work, or sports. They might also prevent diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke, and some cancers when you are older.

Start Here

• Ages and Stages: Teen (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Medical Care and Your 13- to 18-Year-Old (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• TeensHealth (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• TeensHealth: Q&A (Nemours Foundation)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Vaccinations for Preteens and Teens (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Vaccines by Age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Treatments and Therapies

• 7 Things to Know about Mind and Body Practices for Children and Teens (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Talking to Your Doctor (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Understanding Medications and What They Do (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Are Steroids Worth the Risk? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Body Image and Self-Esteem (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Choosing a Primary Health Care Provider (PCP): General Information for Young Women (Boston Children's Hospital)
• Compulsive Exercise (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Gyn Checkups (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Hygiene Basics (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Media and Body Image (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
• Teens and Stress: Who Has Time for It? (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Testicular Exams (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• What's the Right Weight for My Height? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Your First Pelvic Exam (Boston Children's Hospital) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Female Athlete Triad (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• How Much Sleep Do I Need? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Is It OK for My Child to Use Skin Care Products? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Nutrition (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Smoking and Youth: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Take Charge of Your Health: A Guide for Teenagers (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Tanning (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Teen Sexual Health: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Underage Drinking: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Health Check Tools

• Child and Teen BMI Calculator Widget (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• How's Your Self-Esteem? (Quiz) (Nemours Foundation)

Statistics and Research

• Adolescent and Young Adult Health (World Health Organization) Also in Spanish
• America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being (Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics)
• FastStats: Adolescent Health (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Adolescent Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Three Decades of Adolescent Health: Unveiling Global Trends Across 41 Countries...
• Article: Persistent Social Inequality in Adolescent Health Indicators 1991-2022: Trend Study From...
• Article: Understanding adolescent health care services in Ghana: a scoping review.
• Teen Health -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish
• Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• KidsHealth (Nemours Foundation)

Teenagers

• When To Let Your Teenager Start Dating (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Teenagers and sleep (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish