HONOLULU — A study released Monday shows that for the last three years, high school students in Hawai‘i have been making better health choices The state Departments of Health and the state Department of Education on Monday jointly released findings
HONOLULU — A study released Monday shows that for the last three years, high school students in Hawai‘i have been making better health choices
The state Departments of Health and the state Department of Education on Monday jointly released findings from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Results specific to Hawai‘i show that, since 2009, there have been many positive changes in high school students’ health behaviors, despite that “there is still much room for improvement,” according to a DOH news release.
“The data indicate that our youth are responding positively to interventions aimed at developing healthy behaviors,” DOH Director Loretta Fuddy said in the release. “The optimistic survey results are an example of the success of the long standing partnership between the DOH and DOE to monitor and track student health and behavior.”
The study is part of a national initiative conducted every two years, and is the only survey that monitors youth risk behaviors on a broad scale.
“These data demonstrate the important role of DOE wellness policy in reinforcing classroom instruction and supporting positive health behaviors,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said in the release. “The results are encouraging and show that we are on the right track, but there is much left to be done.”
The survey found that the percentage of high school students who report attempting suicide in the past 12 months decreased from 13 percent in 2009 to 9 percent in 2011; that fewer high school students are drinking alcohol or binge drinking, but 29 percent still report drinking some alcohol in the past 30 days.
Marijuana use remains steady with 22 percent of high school students reporting use in the past 30 days.
Hawai‘i high school students are less likely to have ever had sex than students nationally (37 percent versus 47 percent).
There has been a slight decrease in the percentage of high school students who are obese (13 percent down from 15 percent in 2007).
More high school students are meeting the national recommendation of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day (38 percent in 2011 compared to 30 percent in 2005).
Soda consumption continues to decline, with 23 percent of students reporting that they drank no sugar-sweetened soda in the past seven days.
This figure is lower than the national average and has shown steady decline since the implementation of the DOE Wellness Guidelines in 2007.
The next survey will be conducted next spring.
Visit www.hawaii.gov/health for more information.
