American high school students continued to engage in a variety of risky behaviors during 2009, although in many instances last year's levels ran significantly below rates previously recorded over the past 2 decades, according to results released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
These risky behaviors included riding in a car driven by someone who had recently consumed alcohol, an event that occurred within the prior 30 days for 28% of the high school respondents; carrying a weapon during the prior 30 days, reported by 18%; and participating in a physical fight in the prior year, reported by 32% (MMWR Surveillance Summaries 2010:59; No. SS-5).
In many cases, the 2009 numbers showed a continuation of improving trends. For example, the prevalence of high school students who never or rarely wore a seat belt in a car fell significantly from 26% in 1991 to 10% in 2009. The percentage of those who rarely or never wore a bicycle helmet fell from 96% in 1991 to 85% in 2009.
The prevalence of students who rode in a car driven by someone who had been consuming alcohol fell from 40% in 1991 to 28% in 2009. And carrying a weapon fell from 26% in 1991 to 18% in 2009.
In addition, current cigarette use dropped from 36% in 1997 to 20% in 2009. Among currently sexually active students, condom use during their last sexual intercourse increased from 46% in 1991 to 61% in 2009.
Notable exceptions to these improvements were in the areas of diet, exercise, and weight control. Obesity, defined as a body mass index at the 95th percentile or higher for age and gender, rose from 11% in 1999 to 12% in 2009, a significant increase.
Overweight, defined as a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentiles, rose from 14% in 1999 to 16% in 2009, also a significant increase. The percentage of students who said that they were trying to lose weight rose from 42% in 1991 to 44% in 2009, again a significant increase.
For the first time, the survey – conducted biannually by the CDC starting in 1991 – asked high school students about their prescription drug abuse, including use of OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin, or Xanax without a physician's prescription.
Overall, 20% of responding students admitted this type of abuse, with higher rates among all white students at 23%, all 12th-graders at 26%, and male 12th-graders at 27%.
The survey, which collected data from a weighted sample of more than 16,000 students with a 71% overall response rate, also showed stark regional differences in student behaviors based on the states and municipalities where they lived. For example, while overall 11% of U.S. high school students said they never or rarely wore a seat belt while riding in a car, the prevalence of this behavior ranged from a low of 4% in San Diego and 6% in Texas to highs of 19% in Arkansas and 29% in Milwaukee. The data also showed significant differences in several behaviors by gender, race, or ethnicity.
Notable risk-behavior findings included:
▸ Never or rarely wore a bicycle helmet while cycling: 85%.
▸ Had driven a car during the prior 30 days after drinking alcohol: 10%.
▸ Had carried a gun at least once during the prior 30 days: 6%.
▸ Had felt so sad or hopeless almost daily for 2 or more consecutive weeks that they had stopped some usual activities: 26%.
▸ Had attempted suicide at least once during the prior year: 6%.
▸ Had smoked a cigarette at least once during the prior 30 days: 20%; in addition, 26% said they currently used some type of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or cigars).
▸ Had consumed at least five alcoholic drinks in a row on at least 1 day during the prior 30 days: 24%.
▸ Had used cocaine at least once: 6%.
▸ Had consumed a can, bottle, or glass of sugary soda at least once in the prior week: 29%.
▸ Did not participate in at least 60 minutes of any physical activity at least once in the prior week: 23%.
Dating violence was reported by 10% of survey participants, more often by black and Hispanic respondents than by white respondents.
For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/yrbs