Almost one in six Hawai'i public high school students is obese, according to a survey that has both good and bad news about risky actions by youths.

The state Department of Health's Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that 15.6 percent of public high school students — about 7,300 — were obese in 2007. That was up from 10.5 percent in 1999.

The same survey showed that Hawai'i students attempted suicide last year at a rate nearly twice the national average, a statistic reported in Friday's Advertiser.

However, the report also said that fewer youths are using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.

And the Department of Health said it is offering suicide prevention and innovative physical-education programs that are showing results.

"While the survey shows Hawai'i's youth are doing well overall, we are concerned as public health professionals about some key findings, particularly, poor nutrition, obesity and youth suicide," said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, DOH director. "These results show us that we need to continue to stress primary prevention in the community and classrooms."

SUICIDE PREVENTION

In response to the alarming statistics on suicide — which were actually much worse in 1993 — the DOH began a training program in 2006. Some 46 trainers have trained more than 475 people across all Islands in suicide prevention.

"And we need that number to increase," Fukino said.

These gatekeepers or intervention aides are available for students or adults who suffer from mental illness, debilitating disability or huge financial loss, she said. Fukino estimated that up to 20 percent of the 1.4 million people living in Hawai'i suffer from these problems and might see suicide as a solution.

"The more people we have that are aware of the signs and are not afraid to intervene, the greater the likelihood that we could change the statistic of suicide in this state, which is one every three days," Fukino said.

The Health Department is also paying for and supporting school nutrition programs, physical activities, and prevention and education strategies, said Cathy Tanaka, DOH school health coordinator.

"We provide over $1 million a year for health and physical education in our schools that supports 11 positions in the DOE," Tanaka said. "These 11 people train our classroom teachers and counselors."

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Schools are also adopting the "new P.E." that's all about getting more kids active for most of the time they are in physical education, she said. For instance Kalama Intermediate School on Maui has a climbing wall that users traverse from side to side rather than up and down. More students can use the wall at one time under this method, Tanaka said.

"No longer are the days of kickball where one student is active and the rest are sitting on the side," she said.

Kalama is using other cutting-edge activities with positive results, said Leighton Nakamoto, Kalama's P.E. teacher.

Nakamoto introduced Trikke scooters to his students about two years ago and the attitude toward physical education has dramatically changed, Nakamoto said. The DOE was so happy with the program that it ordered sets of the unique three-wheeled scooters that can be shared among Hawai'i's schools, he said.

"We've seen more engagement in physical-education class," Nakamoto said. "They want to be there. They're choosing to be there with these cutting-edge new activities."

Students are even signing up to use them at recess, he said.