The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-risk behaviors: injury-inviting behaviors, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. This report summarizes results from the national survey, 35 state surveys, and 16 local surveys conducted among high…

To date, few studies have examined the relationship between health behavior risk factors and cigarette smoking in Hungary. From 1995 to 1999, the prevalence of current smoking increased from 35.9 to 46.0% among secondary students in Budapest, Hungary. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between smoking and other…

This paper reviews the recent literature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, CVD-related mortality, physiological CVD risk factors, and behavioral CVD risk factors in adults with mental retardation (MR). The literature on the potential influences of modifiable behavioral CVD risk factors and the physiological CVD risk factors are also…

In the United States, nearly two-thirds of all deaths among young people aged 10-14 years result from only five causes: motor-vehicle crashes (23.4%), other unintentional injuries (15.7%), cancer (12.5%), suicide (7.2%), and homicide (5.2%). Across all age groups in the United States, the leading causes of illness and death are related to the…

Research confirms a direct link between student health risk behavior and education outcomes, education behaviors, and student attitudes. This article discusses barriers to comprehensive school health programming; summarizes relevant information concerning several health-risk behaviors (intentional injuries, diet, physical activity, sexual-risk…

Summarizes results from 1999 national school-based surveys and trends during 1991-99 in selected youth risk behaviors as well as 33 state and 16 local school-based surveys. Prevalence of several injury-related behaviors and sexual behaviors have improved. Current smoking rates may be declining. Certain risk behaviors are more common among…

A diverse group of professionals associated with Texas Woman's University's Institute for Women's Health, working collaboratively with school administrators, teachers, family support teams, and family members, developed Growing with EASE: Eating, Activity, and Self-Esteem, a nutrition program for young children and their families. In tracking the…

Breast-cancer survival rates are lower among African American women compared to White women. Obesity may contribute to this disparity. More than 77% of African American women are overweight or obese. Adopting health behaviors that promote a healthy weight status may be beneficial because obesity increases risk for recurrence. Studies among White…

To monitor priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). The YRBSS includes national, state, territorial, and local school-based surveys of high school students in grades 9-12. In addition, some states, territories,…

The paper presented in this document entitled, Will the Ongoing Practice of Physical Activity and Exercise Help Students to Improve Their Fitness Testing Scores from Fall to Spring? written by Tracy Erlandson, was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Education at Winona State University in…

This youth risk behavior survey was completed by 7,667 students at 127 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) middle schools. The document is organized around the six categories of behavior that contribute substantially to the leading causes of death, illness, and social problems in the United States: unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use;…

Future physical activity practitioners need to be educated to be sensitive to the problem of socioeconomic inequality and motivated to contribute to social change. Direct community development experiences in low-income urban neighborhoods and rural areas can help raise consciousness, encourage reflection, and promote action for social change. (SM)

This study examined whether a comprehensive elementary health education curriculum influenced students' health behaviors after reaching eighth grade. Surveys of students in intervention and nonintervention districts indicated no apparent curriculum effects for most health behaviors. The only major difference was for the variable of age at first…

Schools within the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health intervention were randomized into control, school-based, and school-based plus family intervention conditions. Measures of third graders' psychosocial determinants of risk behavior indicated significant improvements in all psychosocial determinants following the interventions,…

This study examined the impact of the American Cancer Society's (ACS's) media based peer education program, Message Magic: Selling Healthy Eating and Physical Activity, on participant self-reported dietary and physical activity behaviors and advocacy skill development. High school students participating in the program were required to work as a…