The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is an epidemiologic surveillance system that was established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help monitor the prevalence of behaviors that not only influence youth health, but also put youth at risk for the most significant health and social problems that can occur during…

The 2020 edition of "KIDS COUNT in Colorado!" examines the current state of preschool in Colorado--the need, the access, and the opportunity--as lawmakers consider expanding access to the Colorado Preschool Program and Governor Jared Polis calls for improved access to quality preschool statewide. This 27th edition of the annual focus on…

This book is designed to help coaches, school administrators, and state and local health departments reach out to young people with messages about the importance of choosing a healthy, active, and tobacco-free lifestyle. The playbook is filled with examples of successful tobacco-free policies, media campaigns, and education programs that will…

Although schools have the primary responsibility for educating children and adolescents, schools alone cannot prevent the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. Preventing youth from smoking, drinking, and using drugs must be a collaborative effort, jointly undertaken by the school, community, and youths themselves. This guide was developed to…

Stores (n=120) in Chicago (Illinois) were targeted for enforcement of prohibitions on selling cigarettes to minors. Enforcement schedules of 2, 4, and 6 months were effective in reducing illegal sales, from 86% to 19%, 87% to 34%, and 87% to 42%, respectively, indicating the effectiveness of regular enforcement of civil penalties for tobacco sales…

The use of licit and illicit drugs by American young people has been a source of major policy and public health concerns for the United States since the mid-1960s. The use of these substances is a leading cause of eventual disease and death in the population, but it also contributes in important ways to mortality and morbidity during adolescence. …

This article presents recommendations developed at the 1994 American Heart Association's Children's Heart Health Conference to promote cardiovascular health in children, particularly regarding public health, lifestyle, and behavior. The recommendations cover the areas of physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco, providing suggestions for schools,…