Boys who play sports are more likely to drink and fight, why junk food is like drugs and Santa is the most-at-risk for H1N1.
THAT’S SPORTSMANSHIP FOR YOU — We’ve long been told that participating in sports is good for us: Not only does it have some fairly obvious physical benefits, but team sports teach participants valuable lessons, too. Coaches tell us that playing sports makes us better people … unless, of course, the participants happen to be male. A new study found boys who played team sports 40 percent more likely to binge drink, and 30 percent more likely to fight, than youth of a less athletic bent. That said, boys in sports were also less likely to be depressed or smoke. And girls who were involved in competitive sports seemed to be better off in a host of categories, from avoiding smoking and depression to steering clear of fighting. They were also less apt to fall prey to eating disorders, too. “Sports team participation appears to have both protective and risk-enhancing associations,” says study author Susan M. Connor from Cleveland’s University Hospital. “These results indicate that healthy lifestyle benefits are not universal and do not apply equally across genders.” (Bloomberg)
JUNKIE FOOD — Most of the youth in your groups (and perhaps the groups’ leaders, too) have acknowledged at times they’re “addicted” to a particular (not very healthy) food: McDonald’s French fries, Pepsi, beef jerky … we all have our weaknesses. Turns out, though, junk food may be as addictive as more illicit substances. Researchers at Scripps Research Institute in Florida fed rats with lots of junk food you might find at the local Quickie Mart. The rats, of course, began eating fat—both because the food is so woefully unhealthy and because the stuff tasted so good it encouraged the rats to overeat. When the scientists gave the rats a choice between their junk food and more nutritious fare, the rats continued to choose the bad stuff—even when selecting such fare came with a mild electric shock, which is a telltale sign of addiction. And then, when scientists tried to take the junk food away completely and instead give rats healthier nutrient pellets, the rats refused to eat them, even when it was clear they were starving themselves to death. (New York Daily News) RELATED: Youth Culture Lesson: Junkie Food
LEADING THE WORLD (UNFORTUNATELY) — The United States recently set a new global record for sexually transmitted diseases, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC tells us that 1.2 million new cases of Chlamydia and 6.2 million new cases of Human papillomavirus were logged in 2008. Overall, about 19 million new cases of STDs were recorded in 2008. More worrisome for some youth leaders: girls ages 15-19 accounted for the most new cases of both Chlamydia and gonorrhea. (Salon.com)
OFFICER, COME QUICK! MY PARENTS TOOK AWAY MY XBOX! — A 15-year-old boy from Buffalo Grove, Ill., called 911, but then hung up before he could talk to an officer. Police, following up on the hang-up call, talked with the boy and found out he had called because his parents took away his Xbox — punishment for an unspecified deed. The police informed the teen there are no laws against parents punishing their children by taking away their video game systems, and then gently “advised him that he needed to listen to his parents.” (Daily Herald)
NOT-SO-JOLLY ST. NICKS — With the H1N1 virus still raging, many churches and youth groups are having discussions on how best to keep everyone — youth and youth workers alike — healthy. But though youth workers certainly are at risk of catching the flu from one of their charges, they’re probably not the most at-risk population out there. That distinction would go to … Santa Claus. Or, more appropriately, Santa Clauses — the legions of jolly, bearded men that invade shopping malls across the country around Christmastime. But, with the H1N1 proving to be quite contagious, the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas is now conducting seminars on how to stay healthy, recommending its members to use hand sanitizer and take lots of vitamins. They’re also asking parents of sick kids to wait until their children are well before dropping them on Kris Kringle’s lap. “We don’t want any child to go without seeing Santa,” says Nicholas Trolli, the group’s president, “but it’s not worth bringing your child to the mall, infecting the Santa and infecting other children. (ABC News)
