Federal Resources

This brief (PDF, 10 pages) outlines the growing body of evidence that suggests physical activity and physical education offered during the school day are linked to children’s healthy development and academic achievement, and have the potential to positively impact school climate and conditions for learning in schools. 

This report, released by the President’s Cancer Panel, outlines the case for HPV vaccination and the urgency for action. The report presents three goals: to reduce missed opportunities to recommend/administer HPV vaccines; to increase acceptance of the vaccines among parents, caregivers, and youth; and to maximize access to HPV vaccination services

This document guides teens in making healthy food choices, offers examples of smart snack and meal ideas, and gives links to other healthy eating resources. 

New research from NIH contributes to the understanding of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), a disorder that causes a woman’s ovaries to stop working before she is 40 years old, sometimes as early as in her teens. POI can affect fertility and puts women at high-risk the onset of osteoporosis and heart disease.

Media-Smart Youth is a free, interactive education program for youth ages 11-13, designed to empower young people to think critically about the media’s influence and to make informed decisions about nutrition and physical activity. NIH has designed a Media-Smart Youth PowerPoint presentation (PDF, 9 pages) that organizations can use to inform audiences about the program.

This article provides tips for parents on making healthy food choices and shares advice on involving young people in preparing meals, making healthy choices when eating on the go, and reading food labels when grocery shopping. 

This video describes a study analyzing health questionnaire data from more than 2,000 high school students, in which they were asked whether they currently, or had ever, smoked an e-cigarette or a combustible cigarette. The results show that more students had used an e-cigarette than a combustible cigarette, and had friends who used them. Almost half of e-cigarette users reported they did not believe there were health risks associated with the devices, and overall, students indicated a social environment more favorable to e-cigarettes. 

USDA and NIH developed the Body Weight Planner, an interactive online tool that allows individuals who are trying to lose or gain weight see how they need to change their eating or physical activity levels to meet their goals. Users enter their age, weight, height, physical activity level, gender, and weight goal for personalized results. Users can also track their progress and receive periodic updates on how their progress matches up to their goals.

Based on data gathered from more than 600 children and youth exposed to HIV in the womb, a study from NIH and CDC suggests that between one-third and one-half of individuals in the United States who were infected with HIV around the time of birth may not have sufficient immunity to ward off measles, mumps, and rubella, even though they may have been vaccinated against these diseases. 

These infographics feature answers to commonly asked questions about HIV and are available in English and Spanish. Topics covered include antiretroviral therapy, the difference between HIV and AIDS, and living with HIV.

These free apps provide easy access to AIDS-related information:

1. HIV/AIDS Guidelines app: provides access to the federally-approved HIV/AIDS medical practice guidelines
2. HIV/AIDS Drug Database app: provides access to information on HIV/AIDS-related Food and Drug Administration-approved and investigational drugs
3. HIV/AIDS Glossary app: provides access to English and Spanish definitions for more than 700 HIV/AIDS-related terms

This blog post highlights a recent NIH-funded study evaluating the costs and expected life-saving returns of the 90-90-90 program, which aims to reduce HIV to undetectable levels in 73% of people infected with the virus by 2020. The results of the analysis show that the program has the potential to contain the AIDS epidemic and save millions of lives.

This resource provides HIV/AIDS-related information and resources, reviewed and selected by expert information specialists from the NLM. Users can also search for information on specific populations, such as adolescents; those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender; Native Americans; and substance users. Health professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and the general public can use AIDSource to access reliable information about AIDS research, statistics, treatment, and more. 

This report is the first to be issued by a federal agency that comprehensively reviews the public health issue of electronic cigarettes and their impact on young people. Using evidence gathered from studies that included young adolescents, adolescents, and young adults, this report confirms there is no acceptable level of nicotine when it comes to these populations and the aerosol from e-cigarettes is not harmless. The report website also offers tools for parents and a public service announcement.