Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) - Step Program Intervention Comparisons Find Differences in Priority Health-Risk Behaviors
November 25, 2008
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) - Step Program Intervention Comparisons Find Differences in Priority Health-Risk Behaviors
In 2007, the YRBSS survey included a sub-analysis of high school students in communities where the Steps Program, a chronic disease prevention program coordinated by the CDC, has been implemented. Since the Steps program focuses on addressing three related risk behaviors: tobacco use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and physical inactivity, the sub-analysis focused on 29 behavior indicators around these subjects. When compared to responses from all youth in the YRBSS, there were significant differences in 15 of the 29 behaviors. For example, students in the Steps communities were less likely to participate in 7 cigarette-related behaviors. Students in the Steps communities were also more likely to meet recommended physical activity measures (40.1% median compared to 34.7% nationally) and less likely to drink a soda on a daily basis. When comparing the Steps communities to one another a wide variation in prevalence for 12 behaviors was found.
For more information on survey resultst, please visithttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5712a1.htm?s_cid=ss5712a1_e