February 1, 2000 WASHINGTON (AP) - American students exercise less and down more fries than school-aged kids in many other countries, a new report says.
Two-thirds of American students reported exercising for more than two hours a week, compared to 80 percent of students in Austria, Germany and the Slovak Republic who reported exercising regularly.
The findings came from a study of 120,000 students in 28 countries and were reported Monday by the World Health Organization.
Thirty-one percent of American 15-year-olds reported eating fries every day, putting the country fifth behind North Ireland, Scotland, Israel and England.
Among students aged 15, the United States ranked among the top three countries where kids eat sweets, chocolate and soft drinks every day.
But kids in other countries smoke more than American youths, said the report.
The U.S. ranks only 24th out of 28 for daily smoking, with 12 percent of 15-year-olds smoking every day. Greenland ranked highest, with 56 percent of 15-year-olds boys lighting up daily and 45 percent of 15-year-old girls joining them.
American students rank in the middle when it comes to alcohol consumption. About 23 percent of 15-year-olds said they drank beer, wine or spirits a least weekly. In Wales, the number was 53 percent, in Greece it was 52 percent and in England it was 47 percent.
Coordinated by the WHO, the study of health behaviors of school-aged children looked at students aged 11, 13 and 15 in 26 European countries and regions, Canada and the United States. The findings were derived from a 1997-1998 survey.
The study is conducted every four years.
Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
