Early puberty in girls has been found to negatively affect these teenagers’ health in areas such as mood disorders, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy, and cancers of the reproductive system.

A study in the August 21st issue of Current Biology, a publication of Cell Press, reports some of the first conclusive evidence in support of the long-held notion that men and women differ when it comes to their favorite colors. Indeed, the researchers found that women really do prefer pink—or at least a redder shade of blue—than men do.

Group psychotherapy was effective in reducing depression among displaced adolescent girls who are survivors of war in northern Uganda, though the intervention was not effective for adolescent boys, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.

A researcher at the University of Missouri-Columbia has found that girls who talk very extensively about their problems with friends are likely to become more anxious and depressed.

African-American adolescent and teenage girls consume less vitamin A and D, calcium and magnesium compared to Caucasian girls, according to researchers at St. Joseph College, Wesleyan University and other institutions.