Credits

Smoking
Almost one third of youth smokers will die early from a smoking-related disease.
“About 30% of youth smokers will continue smoking and die early from a smoking-related disease.”
(National Institute of Health.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Almost 90% of adults who smoke regularly started smoking as teenagers.
“Almost 90% of adults who are regular smokers started at or before the age 19.”
(Calculated based on data in National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2006.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Nutrition
One in six adolescents is obese, and almost one in three is overweight.
“According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 31.9% of children and adolescents were overweight (BMI at or above the 85th percentile) and 16.3% were obese (BMI at or above 95th percentile).”
(Ogden C, et al. "High Body Mass Index for Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003 - 2006. Journal of the American Medical Association 2008, vol. 299, pp. 2401 - 2405.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Dating Violence
One in ten teenagers has experienced violence in a recent dating relationship.
“During the 12 months before the survey, 9.9% of students nationwide had been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend (i.e., dating violence).”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008. ) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases/HIV
At least two teenagers are infected with HIV every hour.
One third of all new HIV infections in the past year have been among young people under the age of twenty-nine.
“Approximately 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS, and more than 56,000 become infected with HIV every year. One-third of them are between the ages of 13 and 29. That means at least two teenagers and young adults in this country are infected with HIV every hour of every day.”
Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Teenagers account for nearly half of all new STIs each year.
“Although 15-24-year-olds represent only one-quarter of the sexually active population, they account for nearly half of all new STIs each year.”
(Weinstock H et al., Sexually transmitted diseases among American youth: incidence and prevalence estimates, 2000, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2004, 36(1):6-10.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

One in four teenage girls has been diagnosed with an STI.
“An unpublished 2008 CDC study finds that among female adolescents ages 14 to 19, one in four (26%) either has HPV, chlamydia, HSV-2 infection or trichomoniasis, with HPV accounting for the vast majority of infections”
(CDC Press Release. "Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis among female adolescents in the United States: Data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES)" 2003-2004. 2008.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

40% of sexually-active teens did not use a condom at last sexual intercourse.
“Among the 35.0% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 61.5% reported that either they or their partner had used a condom during last sexual intercourse.”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Pregnancy
One in three teenage girls will become pregnant at least once by age 20.
“About 75 of every 1,000 girls age 15 to 19 became pregnant in 2002 (the last year for which data are available), which means that, cumulatively, more than 30 percent of teenage girls in the United States become pregnant at least once by the age of 20.”
Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Alcohol
One in four high school students is a binge drinker.
“Nationwide, 26.0% of students had had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (i.e., within a couple of hours) on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey (i.e., episodic heavy drinking).”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008. P. 14.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Drugs
Each year, almost 25% of high school students is offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property.
“Nationwide, 22.3% of students had been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug by someone on school property during the 12 months before the survey.”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008. P. 20.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Almost 40% of high school students have tried marijuana.
“Nationwide, 38.1% of students had used marijuana one or more times during their life (i.e., lifetime marijuana use).”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008. P. 15.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

One in five high school students use marijuana regularly.
“Nationwide, 19.7% of students had used marijuana one or more times during the 30 days before the survey (i.e., current marijuana use).”
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System." June 6, 2008. P. 15.) Source. Date Accessed: November 9, 2009.

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Pressure
Three out of four young people say they need more information about sexual health.
“Three out of four young people say they need more information about sexual health.”
(Kaiser Family Foundation. "National Survey of Adolescents and Young Adults: Sexual Health, Knowledge, Attitudes and Experience." Menlo Park: KFF, 2003.)

Forty percent of young people want more information on how to communicate effectively about sexual issues and concerns.
“Two out of five young people want more information on how to communicate effectively about sexual issues and concerns.”
(Kaiser Family Foundation. "National Survey of Adolescents and Young Adults: Sexual Health, Knowledge, Attitudes and Experience." Menlo Park: KFF, 2003.)