Poor Economy May Increase Later Teen Risk for Unhealthy Behavior

According to a new study by U.S. researchers, bad economic times in infancy have been linked to an increased risk for substance use and delinquent behavior in adolescence. "This finding suggests that unfavorable economic conditions during infancy may create circumstances that can affect the psychological development of the infant and lead to the development of behavioral problems in adolescence," researchers explain. For the study, they looked at babies born around the time of the 1980-1981 and 1982 recessions, when unemployment around the nation was high.