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JOURNALURNALUSA GLOBALe ISSUES JANUARY 2005 GROWING UP HEALTHY U.S. DEPARTMENT 0F STATE / BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS The Bureau of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State publishes five electronic GLOBAL ISSUES journals under the eJournal USA logo—Economic Perspectives, Global Issues, Issues of Democracy, Foreign Policy Agenda, and Society & Values—that examine major issues facing the United States and the international Editor.........William T. Peters community as well as U.S. society, values, thought, and Managing Editor.................Charlene Porter institutions. Each of the five is catalogued by volume Contributing Editors .........Jenifer Bochner (the number of years in publication) and by number (the Rhobyn K. Costen-Sykes number of issues that appear during the year). Cynthia Lacovey Cheryl Pellerin Rosalie Targonski One new journal is published monthly in English and is Gerri Williams followed two to four weeks later by versions in French, Reference Specialists.................Lynne Scheib Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. Selected editions also Joan R. Taylor appear in Arabic and Chinese. Art Director.................Tim Brown Designer.................Chloe D. Ellis The opinions expressed in the journals do not necessarily Illustrator .........................Jeffrey Pelo reflect the views or policies of the U.S. government. The U.S. Department of State assumes no responsibility for Publisher..................Judith S. Siegel the content and continued accessibility of Internet sites to Executive Editor......................Guy E. Olson which the journals link; such responsibility resides solely Production Manager.................Christian Larson with the publishers of those sites. Journal articles, photo- Assistant Production Manager.........................Chloe D. Ellis graphs, and illustrations may be reproduced and trans- lated outside the United States unless they carry explicit copyright restrictions, in which case permission must be sought from the copyright holders noted in the journal. Editorial Board.........George Clack Kathleen R. Davis The Bureau of International Information Programs Peggy England maintains current and back issues in several electronic Alexander Feldman Francis B. Ward formats, as well as a list of upcoming journals, at http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/journals.htm. Comments are welcome at your local U.S. Embassy or at the editorial offices: Editor, eJournal USA: Global Issues IIP/T/GIC U.S. Department of State 301 4th St. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20547 United States of America E-mail: [email protected] Aly Wagner (right), Mia Hamm (left), and Abby Wambach celebrate a goal during a December 2004 game between the United States’ and Mexico’s Women’s National teams. These female football players have inspired young girls to become more involved in team sports, which are widely viewed by experts as effective in helping adolescents grow up physically and emotionally healthy. GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 1 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 About This Issue he notion that “children represent the future” is an cal and emotional well being are essential for youngsters as old one, but it has never been more true than today. they grow to become healthy, educated, contributing adult TAdolescents (defined in this journal as persons members of their societies. between childhood and adults—roughly age 10 to 24) This edition of eJournal USA examines many of the lat- make up fully 20 percent of the world’s population, a larger est findings about the risks and challenges that young peo- proportion than ever before. ple face today and strategies and solutions for dealing with This demographic phenomenon arises at the same them. Experts discuss the medical, social, and environmen- time that medical and social scientists are gaining increased tal conditions that can harm our youths. And some famous understanding of the many changes that lie along the path young athletes who have fresh memories of adolescence tell between youth and adulthood. Disease or injury, violence or us how they coped with problems they encountered on the substance abuse, recklessness or exploitation—any number journey to adulthood. The journal also provides rich biblio- of events may imperil the body or the mind of a young graphic and Internet resources for additional exploration of person. At the same time, the physical and mental changes the issue. We hope readers will be informed and sometimes that mark adolescence present important opportunities for inspired by what they find here. growth and development. Scientists now know that physi- eJOURNAL USA 1 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 GROWING UP HEALTHY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE / JANUARY 2005 / VOLUME 10 / NUMBER 1 HTTP://USINFO.STATE.GOV/JOURNALS/JOURNALS.HTM 4 Adolescent Health: Global Issues, Local 11 Protecting Youth from AIDS in the Challenges Developing World ROBERT BLUM M.D., M.P.H., PH.D., WILLIAM H. CONSTANCE A. CARRINO, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF HIV/ GATES SR. CHAIR, THE DEPARTMENT OF POPULA- AIDS, BUREAU FOR GLOBAL HEALTH, U.S. AGENCY TION AND FAMILY HEALTH SCIENCES, JOHNS HOPKINS FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH The U.S. Agency for International Development Rapidly changing social and economic conditions sponsors several programs dealing with health and around the world present new risks to the growth lifestyle that enable youngsters to better protect and development of young people. themselves from HIV infection. 6 Box: Students Against Violence 14 My Own Words: Shawn Bradley on Everywhere Being Different SAVE, a national group working in violence- A player with the National Basketball Association’s prevention programs, grew out of the shooting death Dallas Mavericks recalls how he dealt with teasing of a single boy to become a nationwide movement. and ridicule as a child. 7 My Own Words: Mia Hamm on 16 The Global Epidemic of Obesity Self-Esteem WILLIAM DIETZ, M.D., PH.D., DIRECTOR OF THE America’s best-known female football player shares DIVISION OF NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, U.S. memories of her own adolescence and ideas on how CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION to cope with life’s rough patches. The growing occurrence of obesity among the young is producing dangerous and potentially lifelong 9 KidsHealth Offers Answers health problems. NEIL IZENBERG, PEDIATRICIAN AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, KIDSHEALTH 20 My Own Words: Marvin Lewis on An awarding-winning Web site gives youngsters Finding Your Way straight talk online about health issues that matter to A star collegiate athlete who graduated from the them. Georgia Institute of Technology offers advice on choosing a life path. eJOURNAL USA 2 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 3 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 21 Promises That Work MARGUERITE W. SALLEE, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICA’S PROMISE—ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH America’s Promise is a nonprofit alliance that rallies organizations of all kinds to keep promises that pro- mote safety, security, and health care for youth. 24 My Own Words: Eliseo Quintanilla on Growing Up Fast A professional football player with D.C. United describes his experiences entering professional sports and moving to the United States from his native El Salvador at a very young age. 25 Environmental Health Risks to Young People LYNN R. GOLDMAN, M.D., M.P.H., PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES, JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Growing young people may have greater vulnerabili- ties than adults to risks and toxins in the environ- ment. 28 Box: Turn That Music Down! Everyday activities and appliances pose threats of long-term hearing damage. 29 Bibliography 32 Internet Resources 2 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 eJOURNAL USA 3 GLOBAL ISSUES / JANUARY 2005 Adolescent Health: Global Issues, Local Challenges Robert Blum Rapidly changing social and economic conditions around ver the past 20 years, dramatic social, political, the world have a significant influence on how young people and economic shifts have radically altered the grow and prepare for adulthood. A medical expert discusses Olandscape for adolescents around the world. A generation ago, AIDS was unknown; today, between a the leading causes of death among the world’s youth and quarter and a third of adolescent females in Botswana, identifies key factors in reducing their health risks. South Africa, and Zimbabwe are infected, and the threat of this disease casts a shadow over maturing young people everywhere. A generation ago, infectious diseases predominated as the major sources of morbidity (disease) and mortality globally. Today, social, behavioral, and environmental fac- tors (such as diet and smoking) predominate. A generation ago, the age of marriage was significant- Robert Blum, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., is the William H. Gates Sr. Chair ly lower than it is today; more people lived in rural com- of the Department of Population and Family Health Sciences at the munities and fewer young people attended school. In one Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Blum was co-investigator for the National Longitudinal generation, school enrollment has dramatically increased Study on Adolescent Health, the largest survey of American youth ever in most countries in the developing world. In many coun- undertaken. His research interests include adolescent sexuality, chronic tries, education is increasingly the same for young women illness, and international adolescent health care issues. as for young men. eJOURNAL USA 4 GLOBAL