Teens who believe they are discriminated against in their daily lives — whether because of their race, gender, age or physical size — have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to a new study by California State University, Northridgechild and adolescent developmentprofessor Virginia Huynh.
Dysregulated cortisol patterns during adolescence can have implication for later adult health and has` been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. The health risks may increase for those teens who experience discrimination or disrespect on a regular basis — in particular people of color and women, according to the study.
“For a long time, there’s been a belief that adult experiences matter more than those in childhood, even when it comes to health,” Huynh said. “However, it is while you are a teenager that you are trying to determine where you fit in society, where you belong. If you are excluded or mistreated, it can affect how you present yourself and interact with others. Those teen experiences truly matter.
[For more of this story go to http://csunshinetoday.csun.edu...ons-later-in-life-2/]
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