FGM awareness web app launched to inform girls at risk

Petals, developed with the help of Coventry schoolchildren, aims to give teenagers facts about female genital mutilation without detection

Stark rise in eating disorders blamed on overexposure to celebrities’ bodies

Dr Colin Michie, a leading paediatrician, speaks out as figures show soaring numbers of young people are being admitted to hospital

Fathers need support to spend more time on children and chores – report

Official measures such as paid paternity leave seen as vital to getting men more involved in parenting and easing burden shouldered by mothers

Activity report: children not getting recommended daily exercise

Study by group ukactive finds only around half of seven-year-olds partake in hour of physical exertion each day and calls for action

Should I let my child take more risks?

Play such as jumping from a height or letting a child get lost contributes to self-esteem and can reduce the risks they take as adolescents – and avoids a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to obesity and chronic disease

Small business in the spotlight … Claudi & Fin

Two mums teamed up to make frozen yoghurt lollies for their children when they couldn’t find a healthy alternative

Children are consuming energy drinks but are they being sold responsibly?

Energy drinks are often marketed as a natural part of a high-octane lifestyle but young people are ignoring warning labels and teachers are concerned

Feeding young babies variety of vegetables helps develop broader diet

Study in UK, Portugal and Greece reveals infants at early weaning stage exposed to variety of tastes are later more likely to enjoy bigger range of healthy foods

Thousands sign petition calling for ban on children’s ear piercings

Labour MP Mark Tami has said he will raise the issue in parliament after 38 Degrees petition garners over 28,000 signatures

The battle against childhood obesity has to start in pregnancy

Britain’s childhood obesity rate is, as Jeremy Hunt calls it, a scandal, but there has not been enough recognition of how early the problem begins

Screen time v play time: what tech leaders won’t let their own kids do

Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive designed some of the world’s most desirable tech – but imposed strict limits on their own children using it. What rules do others set?

Paracetamol use in pregnancy may harm male foetus, study shows

Researchers investigating reproductive defects in baby boys identify possible link between low levels of testosterone and paracetamol intake

What can parents do to stop their children becoming obese?

Children in the UK are the fattest in Europe, risking lifelong health problems. There is a lot parents can do to prevent the problem, starting with the baby in the womb