Warning Signs: Evident In Students Who Engage In School Violence
THE NEGP WEEKLY, Friday - December 14, 2001
http://www.negp.gov

(Goal Seven: Safe And Drug-Free Schools)
Students preparing to engage in school violence send signals of their intent, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More than half of young people involved in school violence "threatened others, wrote notes, got into fights or took other actions to signal their deadly intentions," according to the study (Wetzstein, WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/5). Dr. Mark Anderson, of the division of violence prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), advises parents and school leaders to actively look for warning signs of violence to stop it before it takes place. CDC conducted the five-year study.
For more information, visit the Journal of the American Medical Association at http://www.jama.com/html. See volume:286 (page: 2695), School-Associated Violent Deaths in the United States, 1994-1999. Additional resources are available from the U.S. Department of Education at www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/html or from the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc.

Violence Not Major Concern at Most U.S. Schools

A new survey found that 77 percent of school officials consider school
violence a "moderate" or "mild" concern, the Associated Press reported May14.

According to the survey released by the National School Boards
Association, school-board members list student achievement, special education, teacher shortages, and balancing the budget as problems of "major" concern.

The survey of 837 board members found that concern over school violence was higher among board members in the nation's largest school districts.

Overall, the survey found that school violence was a major concern for 11.7 percent of board members, while it was "not a concern" for another 11.3 percent.





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Study Examines Effects of TV Violence on Teens

A new study concludes that adolescents who watch more than an hour of television a day are more likely to be violent in later years, the Associated Press reported March 28.

"Our findings suggest that, at least during early adolescence, responsible parents should avoid permitting their children to watch more than one hour of television a day," said Jeffrey G. Johnson of Columbia University and
the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Johnson led a team of researchers studying families in two upstate New York counties. The study, which spanned 17 years and included more than
700 people, found that the rate of violence, including assaults, fights and robberies, increased dramatically if daily television viewing time exceeds three hours.

According to the research, of the youths who watched less than an hour of television daily at age 14, just 5.7 percent were involved in aggressive acts by the ages of 16 to 22. But for 14-year-olds who watched between one and three hours of television a day, the aggression rate skyrocketed to 22.5 percent. The rate was 28.8 percent for those who watched more than three hours of television a day.

"The evidence has gotten to the point where it's overwhelming," said Johnson. "I was surprised to see a fivefold increase in aggressive behavior from less than one hour to three or more hours."

The study is published in the March 29, 2002 issue of the journal Science.

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"The Epidemic of Obesity: Personal Choice or Environmental Consequence?"
A National Live Satellite Broadcast and Webcast ---June 7, 2002, 2-3pm EDT
For details go to:
http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/

Overview

Obesity has become a health problem of epidemic proportions. More than sixty percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, and fifteen percent ofchildren from age six to seventeen are considered overweight. This epidemic will likely
increase the number of deaths due to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. But the costs do not stop there.

In the United States approximately $100 billion is spent on obesity each year. Efforts to reduce the impact of obesity on our health and economy begin with the community. The environment in which we live has a tremendous effect on our health.

One community that has mobilized its resources and is dedicated to overcoming obesity is San Antonio, Texas. Join us as we discuss the efforts of San Antonio to energize its community, make physical activity and nutrition a priority, and end the epidemic of obesity.

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State by State Health Habit Survey Looks At Tends in the 1990's. Register Guard, May 22, 2002

Binge drinking (5 or more drinks at one sitting in the past month) increased in more than 1/3 of the states, and fell in only three states. Increases were concentrated in the south and midwest

Smoking increased in almost 1/3 of the states, and declined in only one state.

Obesity has increased in all 47 states surveyed.

Most states showed increases in seat belt use and mammography.

Today's Preteens Put Their Faith in Folks They Know the Best.
From the Los Angeles Times, Sunday, March 31, 2002

Survey* Youths say that they trust their parents, teachers and local law enforcement more than music celebrities and sports figures.
http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la 000022982mar31.story

SAMHSA's National Household Survey on Drug Abuse suggests that fifth grade ages 10 to 11 is not too early to begin sending clear messages about underage drinking. Almost 10.5 million youth ages 12-20 nearly 30 percent had used alcohol at least once in month prior to the survey.

The average age of first use continues to drop. A survey of sixth grade students found that over half said it would be easy for someone their age to get alcohol at a party; a more recent national survey reported that 72
percent of eighth graders said alcohol was "fairly easy" or "very easy" to get.

"Our message that underage drinking is unacceptable and illegal needs to reach down to elementary and middle school students, teachers and their
families," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said.

"The good news is that 60% of young people age 12-17 have never had a drink. What parents and teachers may not realize is that their disapproval of underage drinking has been identified as one of the key reasons
children choose not to drink," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie.

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1982 - 2002, Decline in Children‚s Free Time:
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.....12 hours per week decline.
......Playing (25%) decline, unstructured outdoor activities (50%).
Increases:
......Structured Sports time (doubled).
......Passive, spectator leisure ö not counting television but including watching sports (fivefold increase, from 30 minutes to 3 hours/week)

Decline in Family Activities:
......Household conversations (100% decrease).
......Family Dinners (33% decrease in families who say they have them regularly)
......Vacations (28% decrease in number of families taking one)

Effects:
......In a 2000 national poll 21% of teens rated "not having enough time with parents" as their top concern. Tied with educational issues as their chief concern.
......Children age 9-14 that have more regular dinners with their families were found to have more healthful dietary patterns, including more fruits and vegetables, less saturated and trans fat, fewer fried foods and sodas, and more vitamins and other micronutrients. (Results stood up after statistical controls for household income, maternal employment, body mass index, physical activity, and other factors.

Compiled by:
William Doherty, University of Minnesota, Family Life First Web Site: <http://www.familylifefirst.org/>http://www.familylifefirst.org

References
1. Sandra L. Hofferth, "Changes in American Children's Time, 1981-1997." University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Center Survey, January, 1999. National probability samples of American families, using time diary data.
2. Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000. National probability samples of married couple households, using survey questions.
3. Global Strategy Group, Inc., Talking With Teens: The YMCA Parent and Teen Survey. Final Report, April, 2000. National probability sample of teens that asked for their chief concerns.
4. Council of Economic Advisers to the President. "Teens and Their Parents in the 21st Century: An Examination of Trends in Teen Behavior and the Role of Parental Involvement." Report released May, 2000. Analysis of the large, federally funded Adolescent Health Study, using a national probability sample of adolescents and parents.
5. Gillman, M.W., Rifas-Shiman, S.L., Frazier, A.L., Rockette, H.R.H., Camargo, C.A., Field, A.E., Berkey, C.S., & Colditz, G.A. (2000). Family dinners and diet quality among older children and adolescents. Archives of Family Medicine, 9,235-240. A questionnaire using 24 hour recall mailed to children of participants in the ongoing Nurses Health Study II.
Family Life Workshop, summarized by:
Kevin J. Kervick, M.S., LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Souderton, PA
215 721 9897
<http://www.kervick.com/>http://www.kervick.com, <mailto:kevin@kervick.com>kevin@kervick.com

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May 20, 2002
Self-Esteem Program Keeps Kids Off Drugs

A new study shows that a Seattle, Wash., program, designed to raise the self-esteem of inner-city children, is effective in preventing youth from using alcohol and other drugs, Reuters reported May 14.

The new research updates a 15-year study of 800 inner-city schoolchildren in Seattle, who had been part of a comprehensive program aimed at giving them better coping skills and an attachment to school and community.

The researchers found that the benefits the children received from the program lasted through the age of 21.

"Our theory says if young people get
this stronger commitment to schooling, a positive lifestyle, they are not going to jeopardize it with risky behavior," said David Hawkins, the study's leader and the director of the University of Washington's Social
Development Research Group.

"Our study has found that those in the program had less history of violence in their lifetimes, less heavy use of alcohol, and that fewer had multiple sex partners."

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Teen Athletes More Likely to Binge
A new study found that teenagers who are highly involved in athletics are more likely to binge drink than non-athletes, the Associated Press reported March 29. The study by the Women's Sports Foundation found that male and female athletes in grades 9 through 12 who were highly involved in sports were more likely to drink more than non-athletes. "Highly involved" was
defined as participating in three or more sports. Furthermore, the study showed that male and female teens highly involved
in sports were more likely to drink and drive than non-athletes.
In addition, highly involved female athletes were twice as likely as
non-athletes to use steroids, three times more likely to use chewing tobacco, and more likely to use pathogenic dieting methods. On the other hand, the study found that male and female athletes were less likely to use illegal drugs, smoke cigarettes, or be suicidal. In addition, teen athletes who were not highly involved in sports were no more likely than non-athletes to drink alcohol or binge drink. "The purpose of this type of research study is not only to figure out the positive and negative affects sports has on our young people, but also to
find solutions for those negative behaviors while continuing to
promote the benefits of sports," said Julie Foudy, president of the Women's SportsFoundation.

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APRIL 19, 2001 National Institute on Media and the Family
"Frogs Sell Beer to Teens That's "whassup!"
Bigger Ad Budgets Lead to More Adolescent Drinking
Budweiser brand beer has biggest advertising budget and biggest usage among teens.
MINNEAPOLIS - The National Institute on Media and the Family presents unprecedented research showing that beer advertisements lead to adolescent drinking. The study was released on Friday April 20th, at the Society for Research in Child Development biennial meeting. Applying the premise that advertising has four goals: to (1) build brand
awareness/recognition, (2) build brand preference, (3) influence product purchase/use, and (4) build brand loyalty, correlation analyses were conducted to determine whether the amount of money spent by beer companies to advertise selected beer brands predicts students' brand awareness,
preference, use, and loyalty.
"We believe this is the first study using the advertising industry's own methods to examine adolescent alcohol attitudes and behaviors," said child psychologist Douglas Gentile, Ph.D. "Junior and senior high school students
know about, prefer, and drink the most heavily advertised brands of beer." A survey was given to over 1,500 students in grades 7 - 12. Participants were recruited from mandatory health classes in several Midwestern suburban schools and an Eastern urban school. The sample included both male and
female students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Results are presented in

Table 1
Brand .................1998-1999 Advertising Budget... % of 7 - 12 Graders...... % of 7 - 12Graders Who ..........................................................................................................Know.This Brand Who Drink This Brand
Budweiser/Bud Light....... $492,232,000.00................. 99%.............................................44%
Miller ...............................$262,362,400.00................. 97% ............................................39%
Coors/Coors Light........... $224,239,800.00................. 90%............................................. 22%
Corona/Corona Extra .......$53,503,100.00................... 65%............................................. 20%
Heineken......................... $49,594,400.00 ....................79%............................................. 20%

Note: If you cannot read the chart, click on this website:http://www.mediafamily.org/press/20010419-2.shtml)

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Center for Science in the Public Interest Alcohol Policies Project, www.cspinet.org/booze
National Poll Shows "Alcopop" Drinks Lure TeensGroups Demand Government Investigate "Starter Suds"
Washington, DC

Alcohol producers have a new treat for teenagers as prom and graduation party season begins. A poll conducted for the Center
for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) by Penn, Schoen & BerlandAssociates, Inc. shows that "alcopop" beverages (sweet,
fruit-flavored, malt-based drinks) appeal more to teenagers than to adults and that teens are more likely to consume them. New beverages, including Mike's Hard Lemonade, Rick's Spiked Lemonade, Doc Otis' Hard Lemonade, Jed's Hard Lemonade, Tequiza, Sublime, and Hooper's Hooch, come in hip, bright, and colorful youth-oriented packaging. The labels resemble non-alcoholic lemonade, fruit punches and soft drinks all popular with teens -- though labels do disclose alcohol content. More than 80% of teens say "alcopops" are easy to get if they want them. At a Washington press conference, George A. Hacker, CSPI's director for alcohol policies said, "Booze merchants formulate the products and the design of their labeling and packaging specifically to appeal to
people who don't like the taste of alcohol, which includes teenagers."Alcopops" are gateway drugs that ease young people into drinking and pave the way to more traditional alcoholic beverages." Noting government's failure to halt the marketing of "alcopops" by approving their labels, he called for Federal action to protect American children. CSPI released letters it had delivered to Robert Pitofsky, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Bradley Buckles, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms (BATF), that called for a crackdown on unfair andmisleading marketing practices.