In Brief: Aug. 20, 2001

OUTBUFFING THE GRANDKIDS Older adults exercise more frequently than their teenage grandchildren, according to a study published by the market-research firm American Sports Data. The national survey indicated that 26% of people over 55 exercised at least 100 times in the past year, compared with 18% of those from ages 12 to17. Researchers said doctors are increasingly recommending weight-resistance training and moderate workouts to older patients.

ADOPTION AND SUICIDE Adopted children are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide in adolescence as their nonadopted peers, say researchers at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the August issue of Pediatrics. Their data did not indicate whether genetics, unstable foster care or adoption itself upped the risk. But "strong family connectedness," regardless of status, decreased it.

AIR-BAG SNAFUS It's well known that auto air bags can kill children under age 13 who are riding in the passenger seat. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says about half of parents with pickup trucks, the vehicles that have air-bag cutoff switches, still don't use the switches as intended--to shut off the air bags and thus protect front-seat kids. Citing the "widespread misuse" of the switches, NHTSA recommended automakers develop air bags that can turn off automatically when a child is riding up front.

--By Harriet Barovick