This is the Leading Cause of Death for Utah Children

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Utah children aged 10 to 17, but church could change all of that. 

The Utah Department of Health released a report that "the youth suicide rate in Utah is consistently higher than the U.S. rate, and has been increasing for nearly a decade."

"On average, 37 youth in Utah die from suicide and 942 are injured in a suicide attempt each year," the report stated. 

Females are more likely to seriously consider or commit suicide than males. The report also says children "who had been bullied both at school and electronically were at especially high risk, being 5.8 times more likely to have considered suicide."

But the reports also presents a surprising solution to lowering Utah's incredibly high suicide rate. 

"A lower risk of suicide ideation was found among students who regularly attended religious services or activities and regularly at a meal with a family," the report says. 

That means church and quality family time can save hundreds of lives. 

"An analysis of the data compared the effects of positive peer, school, community, and family environments and found that, of these, only the family environment had a significant effect on suicide ideation," said the report. 

Therefore, finding time for family and God could mean fuller churches, happier families, and a lower suicide rate.