Since 1991, prevalence of several injury-related behaviors and sexual behaviors
have improved among high school students throughout the United States. Fewer
students are at risk for motor-vehicle crashes, homicide, unintended pregnancies, and
sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. Although current cigarette smoking
was more common in 1999 than at the beginning of the decade, current cigarette
smoking rates have leveled or might be declining. Nonetheless, too many high school
students nationwide continue to practice behaviors that place them at risk for serious
health problems. Certain risk behaviors are more likely to be found among particular
sub populations of students. For example, male students were more likely than female students
to report:
rarely or never wearing seat belts;
rarely or never wearing motorcycle helmets;
being injured while exercising, playing sports, or being physically active;
driving after drinking alcohol;
weapon carrying;
gun carrying;
participating and being injured in a physical fight;
weapon carrying on school property;
being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property;
being in a physical fight on school property;
current smokeless tobacco use;
current cigar use;
episodic heavy drinking;
lifetime and current marijuana use;
current cocaine use;
lifetime heroin, illegal steroid, and injected drug use;
initiating cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use before age 13 years;
smokeless tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use on school property;
being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property;
initiating sexual intercourse before age 13 years;
having had >4 sex partners during their lifetime;
alcohol or drug use at last sexual intercourse;
their partner not using birth control pills before last sexual intercourse; and
being at risk for overweight and being overweight.
In contrast, female students were more likely than male students to report:
being forced to have sexual intercourse;
feeling sad or hopeless;
suicide-related behaviors;
their partner not using a condom at last sexual intercourse;
drinking <3 glasses/day of milk;
fasting to lose weight or control weight gain;
taking diet pills, powders, or liquids to lose weight or control weight gain;
taking laxatives or vomiting to lose weight or control weight gain;
not participating in vigorous or moderate physical activity;
not participating in strengthening exercises; and
not participating on sports teams.
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