The Los Angeles Times (9/20, Healy) reports in “Science Now” that stress in women may “erase the benefits of a healthful diet,” researchers found. Specifically, the 58-woman study revealed that “suffering a day of stresses…erased the difference between women who got healthy fats and those who got fats more commonly linked to heart disease.” The findings were published Sept. 20 in Molecular Psychiatry. HealthDay (9/20, Thompson) also covers the study.

Related Links:

— “Chill out, ladies. Stress can erase the benefits of your healthful diet,” Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, September 20, 2016.

Kaiser Health News (9/19, Gold) reports that approximately one out of five US women “will experience depression in her lifetime, twice the number of men.” Currently, “about 15 percent of women take an antidepressant,” but “among women age 40 to 59, that number is nearly 23 percent, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Related Links:

— “The Women’s Health Issue No One Talks About,” Jenny Gold, Kaiser Health News, September 19, 2016.

HealthDay (9/19, Dallas) reports about two-thirds of parents want middle schools and high schools to teach their students about “how to cope with issues such as stress, depression, bullying and suicide,” in their health classes, according to a survey done by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Many parents responded that their children’s schools do not currently teach about these topics in health classes.

Related Links:

— “2 of 3 Parents Want Schools to Expand Health Education,” Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, September 19, 2016.

In an article titled “5 Myths About Aging,” Consumer Reports (9/16, Levine) pointed out, “Older people are no more likely than younger ones to be depressed, says Robert Roca, MD, chairman of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Geriatric Psychiatry.” When seniors “do become depressed, ‘usually it stems from a loss associated with growing older,’” Dr. Roca explained. He said, “They lose loved ones or friends, they lose their identity because they retire, their physical vigor declines and they can’t do as many activities as they used to.”

Related Links:

— “5 Myths About Aging,” Hallie Levine, Consumer Reports, September 16, 2016.

PBS NewsHour (9/18, Segal) reports a recent spike in suicides in the US has raised concerns about the small number of psychiatric beds in the US for suicidal patients and others in need of psychiatric care. The article points out that the number of psychiatric beds for patients per capita in the US decreased by 95% between 1955 and 2005, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Related Links:

— “Why do suicidal patients wait hours for a hospital bed?,” CORINNE SEGAL, PBS NewsHour, September 18, 2016.