Why Health?

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

• CDC–Gathers statistics for the nation

• Addresses the six behaviors that research shows contribute to the leading causes of death and disability for adults and youth

• Behaviors are usually established during childhood

Injury and

Violence

Critical Health Behaviors• Injury and Violence

– includes motor vehicle, unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide

– associated behaviors: fights, carrying weapons, making a suicide plan, and not wearing seatbelts

Alcohol

and Drug

Use

Critical Health Behaviors•Alcohol and Drug Use

– Third leading cause of preventable death

– Factor in approximately 41% of all deaths from motor vehicle crashes

Critical Health Behaviors• Alcohol and Drug Use

– A person may be predisposed to addiction

– The younger a person uses, the greater the chance of addiction

Tobacco

Use

Critical Health Behaviors• Tobacco Use

– Smoking causes 435,000 deaths each year

– Every day 4000 teens try their first cigarette

Critical Health Behaviors• Tobacco Use

– 3000 teens become regular smokers EACH day

– 90% of all smokers start by the age of 19

Physical

Activity

Critical Health Behaviors• Physical Activity

– Participation declines as children get older

– Lack of activity leads to premature death

– Over 1/3 of American youth are very unfit

Critical Health Behaviors

Nutrition

Critical Health Behaviors• Nutrition

– 80% of teens don’t eat recommended servings of fruits and vegetables

– nearly 9 million 6-19 year olds are overweight (60% of total population)

Critical Health Behaviors

Sexual

Risk

Behaviors

Critical Health Behaviors• Sexual Risk behaviors

–19 million new STI infections each year-almost half among youth 15-24

– About 13% of new HIV/AIDS cases are youth 13-24

Critical Health Behaviors• Sexual Risk behaviors

– 34% of young women become pregnant at least once before age 20

– A teen pregnancy occurs every 30 seconds

–13% of all pregnancies occur among girls aged 15-19