New Jersey Will Test High School Athletes for Steroids

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey is the first state in the nation to take statewide action to address the growing issue of high school steroid use. In late December, New Jersey’s Acting Governor Richard J. Codey (photo at left) signed an executive order that would put into place a program that will randomly test high school teams and individuals qualifying for championship games for steroids beginning with the 2006-2007 school year. The order also calls for the Department of Health and Senior Services to develop and implement a program to randomly test dietary supplement products for sale in New Jersey to detect steroid contamination, and various other orders directing the Department of Education to work with the Department of Health and Senior Services and other agencies to implement a broad-range of educational components from the fifth grade level on up through high school.

Steroid Use Declines Slightly in Youth

ROCKVILLE, MD -- The 2005 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey showed good news when it comes to steroid use in teens. The 12th graders studied exhibited a significant decline in use this year of 1.1 percentage points, falling to 1.5 percent annual prevalence. However, there was little further decline this year in the lower grades, which already had dropped four-tenths in their annual prevalence rates.

Yoga Effective in Treating Chronic Low Back Pain

WASHINGTON -- Yoga may be more effective than a self-care book for improving function and reducing chronic low back pain, according to new research published in the December 20 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Unhealthy Behaviors Begin Early

ROCKVILLE, MD -- By the time they reach early adulthood, a large proportion of American youth have begun the poor practices contributing to three leading causes of preventable death in the United States: smoking, overweight and obesity, and alcohol abuse, according an analysis of the most comprehensive survey of adolescent health behavior undertaken to date. The analysis also found that significant health disparities exist between racial groups.

Sports Club Deal Complete

NEW YORK—Millennium Partners has completed its purchase of five of the Sports Club Co.’s health clubs for $80 million, the company announced. Millennium Partners, a real-estate developer and the largest shareholder in the Sports Club Co., acquired five company-owned clubs. The clubs sold to Millennium include the company’s interest in Reebok Sports Club/NY and the Sports Club/LA in Washington, DC; Boston, San Francisco and the Upper East Side in New York. The Sports Club Co.’s management agreement covering the club in Miami was also terminated.

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