Week of September 13, 2013

The Roundup contains information about all of the latest news, commentary, reports, surveys, issue briefs, charts, and fact sheets related to boys' issues collected by our staff during the preceding week.

News Clips

  • Boys need to be included in discussions about preventing teen pregnancy
    The United States consistently has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among industrialized countries, despite the fact that the pregnancy rate has declined dramatically over the past 40 years. About 7% of teenagers ages 15-19 get pregnant each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    AAP News, American Academy of Pediatrics
    September 2013

  • Illinois: This drug could save lives; why aren't kids getting HPV vaccination?
    Illinois has one of the nation's worst vaccination rates for HPV.  Moran attributed Illinois' low percentage of adolescents getting the HPV vaccine to a lack of knowledge. "A lot of parents aren't aware of what it is and what it's for," he said.
    bnd.com
    September 21, 2013

  • Signs that kids are being bullied
    A variety of symptoms may signal that a child is being bullied and having trouble coping, according to a new analysis.
    In the review of studies from 15 countries, complaints of headache, backache, abdominal pain, skin problems, sleeping problems, bed-wetting or dizziness were more than twice as common among kids who were victims of bullying, researchers found.
    Health 24
    September 19, 2013

  • The tough world of boys in education
    Boys today grow up immersed in an environment where the TV shows, movies and video games marketed to young men feature male protagonists who are violent, alcohol-guzzling, pot-smoking, and/or sexist “bros.” And let me tell you that they don’t model working hard in school to get good grades and the chance at a productive life.
    Herald News
    September 18, 2013

  • The GOP Food Stamp Plan Undermines the Fight Against Obesity
    At a time when obesity rates have begun to level off, and in some cases, decreased, it would seem that this is exactly the time to invest more into programs that perpetuate this trend and give ourselves the best chance to reduce America's number one health care cost; to cut such programs now seems completely counter-intuitive.
    US News
    September 18, 2013

  • Extreme’ binge drinking common among teens, especially males: study
    One in five high school seniors reports binge drinking in the last two weeks, and one in ten reports "extreme" binge drinking - having 10 or more drinks on one occasion, according to a new study. Analyzing responses from more than 16,000 students surveyed between 2005 and 2011, researchers said they were "surprised" by how many reported alcohol consumption at levels much higher than questionnaires usually cover.
    Medline Plus
    September 16, 2013

  • U.S. Teens Begin to Slim Down, Study Suggests Adolescents are eating healthier, exercising more
    New research shows that the number of obese teens leveled off and the rate of overweight teens dropped slightly between 2005-'06 and 2009-'10.Teens reported eating more fruits and vegetables, eating breakfast on weekdays more often, and being more active. They also ate fewer sweets, drank fewer sweetened beverages and spent less time watching TV, according to the study.
    Medline Plus
    September 16, 2013

  • E-Smoking Among Teenagers
    The case for regulating electronic cigarettes grew even stronger this month when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a notable increase in their use by high school and middle school students. A national survey found that the percentage of high school students who had ever smoked e-cigarettes jumped to 10 percent in 2012 from 4.7 percent in 2011; for middle school students (grades six to eight), the figure rose to 2.7 percent from 1.4 percent.
    New York Times
    September 15, 2013

  • Minority male teacher shortage prompts legislation that aims to boost their numbers
    Minority male teachers are scarce in New Jersey’s public schools�and in classrooms across the country�but a bill moving through the state Legislature aims to attract more of them to some of the state’s struggling school districts.
    nj.com
    September 15, 2013

  • The CBHSQ Report: A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update
    In the past year, more than one quarter of adolescents drank alcohol, approximately one fifth used an illicit drug, and almost one eighth smoked cigarettes.
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
    August 29, 2013

International News

INDIA

  • What drives children to suicide?
    The main reasons for children committing suicide used to be failing in  examinations. Today, problems in personal relationship, problems among family  members, love attachments, drug abuse and “the false signs sent by the  media,” are also responsible, says Dr P N Suresh Kumar, Professor of  Psychiatry at KMCT, Medical College, Calicut.
    Deccan Chronicle
    September 22, 2013

  • Pornography reason for rising rapes by minors: Assam police chief
    "The accessibility of pornography has changed the mindset of many young boys. Earlier, there were more instances of women being raped by strangers but nowadays such crimes are often committed by a person or persons known to the victim."
    Times of India
    September 19, 2013

NEW ZEALAND

  • Less sleep equals more fat for teen boys - study
    A University of Otago researcher believes parents should keep a close eye on when their teenage boys hit the hay. They've found teenage boys who sleep on average less than eight hours a night have nine percent more body fat than those who sleep more than eight hours.
    Newstalkzb
    September 18, 2013

UK

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Cigarette photo credit: mi-sio