Nutrition Tips for Teens

Easy to follow:
1. Be conscious of what you eat. Think of food as fuel for your body. You wouldn’t want to put regular unleaded gasoline into a Porsche. Therefore fueling your body with fast foods, candy, and sugary drinks will diminish performance.
2. Don’t completely eliminate fat from your diet. Fat provides your body with essential fatty acids and important vitamins.
3. Drink water! Stay hydrated. When your body signals thirst, it is already too late.
4. For endurance athletes, sports drinks are recommended to replenish electrolytes and carbohydrates.
5. Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals. These phytochemicals combined with other nutrients help reduce the risk of certain cancers, slow the aging process, reduce the risk of heart disease and the list goes on!
6. Whether your goal is to gain weight or lose weight the goal should be realistic and obtainable. Consider 2lbs per week, this is healthy and may help with sustaining the desired weight.
7. Eat an easily digestible meal no later than 2.5-3hrs before your athletic event. Stay away from high fat foods. These foods are slower to digest and hinder performance.
8. Do not self prescribe additional vitamins or supplements without speaking to your physician. Excessive amounts of some vitamins and minerals may be harmful to the body.

From Fort Sanders Health and Fitness

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is growing and effecting our youth today. Data from a youth risk behavior survey states that 36% of students reported less than 60 minutes of (MVPA) Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity per day, with 13% reporting less than 30 minutes. Among adolescents (<18), physical activity is associated with a number ailments decreased anxiety and depression , improved academic performance, improved parental relationships, increased self esteem, decreased anger, decreased psychological stress, lower levels of mental health issues, reduced drug use and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart disease.

CDC -Dash/Healthy Youth
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/healthtopics/index.htm

Obesity News and Uploads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXvDI3Lh9xQ

Helen's Literature Review Summary

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 18.9 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases/infections occurred in the United States in 2001. Of the sexually active population, people aged 15-24 years consist of only 25%. However, in 2001, about half of sexually transmitted diseases/infections cases took place among this young population (CDC, 2006).

This literature review focuses on five different interventions that were implemented to prevent sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents. Of the five articles discussed, only one article specifically identified the type of models and theories the intervention was based upon.

The article, “Abstinence and Safer Sex HIV Risk-Reduction Interventions for African American Adolescents” was based on social cognitive theory, theory of reasoned action, and theory of planned behavior.

Although the article, “Effect of a Clinical Practice Improvement Intervention on Chlamydia Screening Among Adolescent Girls” does not state the foundational theories within the article, it follows the same model and intervention strategy as the HIV risk-reduction intervention for African American adolescents.

The three other articles, “A Randomized Controlled Trial Testing an HIV Prevention Intervention for Latino Youth”, “Interventions to Reduce Sexual Risk for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Adolescents” and “Efficacy of Risk-Reduction Counseling to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Sexually Transmitted Diseases” contained interventions that were based mostly on the theory of efficacy.

Since the theory of efficacy is derived from the Social Cognitive Theory, all five articles share the theoretical foundations and framework of the interventions. The most effective and ideal intervention would be to incorporate as many different theories as possible to obtain accurate evidence and to propose the best solutions.

Teens and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

1 in 4 Teen Girls Has STD
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just issued the alarming findings of its first ever survey of teen health which included sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In the study, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 838 randomly chosen girls, ranging in age from 14 to 19, completed the survey, which was conducted in 2003 and 2004. As part of the survey, the girls agreed to answer questions dealing with health and nutritional issues and they agreed to be tested for four of the most common STDs.

(Citation: medheadlines.com/.../1-in-4-teen-girls-has-std/)

Teen STD Rate

STD Testing & Information

Baltimore Local HIV / STD Testing
5411 Old Frederick Rd Ste 9, Baltimore - (866) 247-3378
http://www.localhivtesting.com/

24~48 Hour HIV/STD Testing~AIDS Test Line
1930 W Baltimore St, Baltimore - (866) 926-4669
http://www.aboutmyhealth.us/

Find A Free Clinic In Maryland For Std Testing, Diagnosis
www.yourstdhelp.com/maryland.html

STD testing: What to know before your appointment
www.mayoclinic.com/health/std-testing/ID00047

STD Awareness Month

April is STD Awareness Month, an annual observance to raise public awareness about the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) on the lives of Americans and the importance of individuals discussing sexual health with their health care providers and if sexually active, their partners.

STDs are a major public health issue in the United States:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are approximately 19 million new cases of STDs each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.

• STDs have an economic impact: direct medical costs associated with STDs in the U.S. are estimated at $15.3 billion annually.

• There are physical and psychological impacts. Untreated, some STDs can lead to serious health consequences, including infertility.

Many of those who are infected don't know it. Many STDs do not have any symptoms. The only way to know for sure whether you have an STD is to get tested.

(Citation: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/STDAwareness/)