HHS HealthBeat (April 3, 2006)

Active parents, active teens, good habits

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A teen-ager who’s active and away from the TV could be a better-off teen. Researchers say teens who are physically active – such as in sports, and especially with their parents – are less likely to do risky behaviors such as drug use, drinking and sex.

Penny Gordon-Larsen of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill bases that on a national survey of seventh- to 12th-graders. Her study in the journal Pediatrics was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

All kinds of physical activity were good – including skateboarding, for teens who like that. But Gordon-Larsen says teens who spent their time on TV and video games were more likely to report all the risky behaviors.

"Instead of having TV time, it’s important for families to build in time that the family is together and active." (seven seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011