Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Binge Drinking Rampant Among High School Students
TUESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Binge drinking is common among teenagers, and it is strongly linked to other risky behaviors, according to a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, published in the January issue of Pediatrics, analyzed data from 15,214 high school students in the United States who completed the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The researchers found that 45 percent of the students reported drinking alcohol in the previous month, and 64 percent of those who drank reported binge drinking -- having at least five drinks of alcohol in a row. Boys and girls reported similar rates of binge drinking -- 67 percent and 61 percent, respectively. And among the students who engaged in binge drinking, 69 percent reported doing so multiple times in the past 30 days. The likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors and performing poorly in school was strongly associated with binge drinking, the researchers said. Compared to students who don''t drink, those who reported drinking -- but not binge drinking -- were more than twice as likely to be sexually active, more than four times as likely to smoke cigarettes, and more than twice as likely to have been in a physical fight. Binge drinkers were even more likely to engage in risky behaviors. They were more than five times as likely as nondrinkers to be sexually active, more than 18 times as likely to smoke cigarettes, and more than four times as likely to have been in a physical fight. The more often the students reported binge drinking, the greater the likelihood of engaging in other risky behaviors, including using marijuana and attempting suicide. "Our study clearly shows that it''s not just that students drink alcohol, but how much they drink that most strongly affects whether they experience other health and social problems," said lead author Jacqueline Miller, medical officer on the CDC''s Alcohol Team, in a prepared statement. "It also underscores the importance of implementing effective strategies to prevent underage and binge drinking, such as enforcing the minimum legal drinking age and reducing alcohol marketing to youth, which can help us change social norms regarding the acceptability of underage and binge drinking." More information The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more about young adult drinking.
Last Updated: Jan. 02, 2007 Copyright © 2007 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. |