US study says sex down among young adults, teens

ATLANTA - Apparently, fewer high school and college students are having sex.

U.S. health officials say the proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds who have had some kind of sex dropped in the past decade from 78 percent to about 72 percent.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the study Thursday. The lead author described the decline as small but significant.

Some experts say an emphasis on abstinence in sex education may have played a role. Some say concern about sexually spread diseases may have been a factor. Still others suggest this is a generation of kids who are less inclined to experiment with drugs and sex.

---

Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs