In spring 2001, 5,654 American Indian high school students attending schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey examined youth behaviors in the areas of motor vehicle safety, weapons, violence, suicide, current and lifetime tobacco use, current and lifetime drug and alcohol use,…

This report describes results from the 1997 Utah Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 1996 Utah School Health Education Profile (SHEP). The YRBS surveyed 9th-12th graders in a random sample of schools about their behaviors that risk their health. Results indicated that students still engage in behaviors that put them at risk for injury or…

This article provides background information on heart transplantation in general, focusing on pediatric heart transplantation and offering suggestions for teachers regarding the unique concerns of students with heart transplants (exercise, physical appearance, immunosuppressive medications, transplant rejection, infection, and psychological…

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…

The Colorado Department of Health formed the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention Coalition to address Colorado's problem with CVD. The article describes the work of the Coalition's Physical Activity Subcommittee, the Subcommittee's Exer-Deck tool to promote increased physical activity, and the training of professionals to work collaboratively…

Heart-rate monitors can be effective in physical education teacher preparation programs and physical education classrooms. The article explains how to use heart-rate monitors and describes the coursework and lab experiences that introduce students to the monitors and teach a higher level of understanding and use of the technology. (SM)

This study assessed ninth graders for evidence of ethnic and gender differences in the relationships between television viewing and adiposity, physical activity, and dietary fat intake. Television viewing related to increased dietary fat intake, and cultural factors influenced the susceptibilities of children to the effects of television viewing.…

Relationships between self-reported past and present physical activity levels and self-image, sense of mastery, gender role identity, self-perceived physical ability, and self-perceived attractiveness were studied for 149 female high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Results are discussed in terms of adolescent emotional health. (SLD)

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…

Relatively little work has been carried out upon the effect of educational environment upon the sporting involvement of children with disabilities. This paper is concerned with the educational experiences of a group of athletes who competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. It highlights the major influence that the impact of the educational…

A physically active lifestyle can be empowering for young women in allowing them to resist many of the dominant and limiting discourses around femininity and gender. In finding pleasure in their physical state a positive sense of self is embodied and long-term engagement in a physical culture can be fostered. However, research repeatedly cites…

There is little research that reports children's perspectives on physical activity, bodies and health. This paper, drawn from a larger multi-method study on physical activity in the lives of seven- and eight-year-old Australian children, attempts to "give a voice" to 13 children's views. Interviews focused on children's activity…

In 2004, the Women's Sports Foundation published the first edition of "Her Life Depends On It" (Don Sabo, Kathleen E. Miller, Merrill J. Melnick, and Leslie Heywood). At that time, it was clear that evidence-based research confirmed that regular physical activity and sport provides the critical foundation, in no small part, that allows girls and…

New Jersey After 3 (NJ After 3) is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to expand and improve afterschool opportunities for New Jersey's youth. Using both public and private resources, it supports a network of youth-service providers that deliver afterschool services based on NJ After 3's program model. Under an agreement with NJ…

The third volume of "The Future of Children" examines the causes and consequences of increasing rates of obesity and overweight among children. It also reviews specific policies and programs aimed at reducing obesity and overweight and the related health problems that result. Contents include: (1) Introducing the Issue (Christina Paxson, Elisabeth…