Most people are aware of the important influence that physical activity has on health outcomes and quality of life, and it has become increasingly important to be able to determine how much physical activity individuals participate in on a regular basis so that tracking of behavior change can occur and individual or population interventions can be…

According to SHAPE America, quality physical education promotes physical literacy by addressing five core standards: motor skills, knowledge, health-related fitness, personal and social behavior, and values. The purpose of this article is to introduce a physical literacy index, identify resources that could be used to assess physical literacy, and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of benefits and barriers and their relationship with physical activity (PA) among predominantly Latino middle school students. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 4,773 seventh-grade students recruited from a large, urban school district in Los Angeles. Hierarchical logistic…

Texas (USA) public schools require high school students to take one year of physical education to graduate. However, students can meet this requirement by participating on a state sanctioned athletic team for a year. The Texas Education Agency states the physical education curriculum should teach affective attitudes and values that will encourage…

Background: To support curriculum and policy, a midwest city school district assessed the association of selected categories of nutrition and physical activity (NUTR/PA) behaviors, fitness measures, and body mass index (BMI) with academic performance (AP) for 800 sixth graders. Methods: Students completed an adapted Youth Risk Behavior…

In this article we examine the importance of sensation seeking and pragmatism in the steroids and sports supplements behavior and attitudes of high school and junior high school students on Long Island, New York. Steroid use is much less acceptable than sports supplement use, although the reasons for use are similar. Respondents use supplements…

Some youth in Mississippi are at risk for violence, sexual activity, tobacco use, and poor nutrition. The Mississippi State Department of Health and the State Department of Education have the shared goal of giving youth the opportunity to become "healthy, educated, and contributing" members of their communities. This document outlines…

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-risk behaviors: injury-inviting behaviors, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. This report summarizes results from the national survey, 35 state surveys, and 16 local surveys conducted among high…

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Middle School Questionnaire, produced by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was administered for the first time in North Carolina in 1995. The survey monitored high-priority health-risk behaviors, including: (1) weapons and violence; (2) suicide-related behaviors; (3) vehicle safety; (4)…