Elderly White Men Afflicted by High Suicide Rates
White men over the age of 65 commit suicide at almost triple the overall U.S. rate—and almost twice the rate of any other group. Public-health campaigns to help people recognize risk factors or symptoms in the elderly could help, as could more training for primary-health providers who are likely to come into contact with elderly at-risk individuals. (August 2006)

2006 World Population Data Sheet

 PRB's 2006 World Population Data Sheet contains the latest population estimates, projections, and other key indicators for more than 200 countries, including births, deaths, natural increase, infant mortality, life expectancy, urban population, HIV/AIDS prevalence, contraceptive use, land area, percent of population living below $2/day, and population per square mile. New for the 2006 Data Sheet are data on net migration rates, percent of surface area protected, and population with access to improved sanitation. (August 2006)

The Neglected Link Between Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity in Poor Neighborhoods
Childhood obesity is epidemic among racial and ethnic minority U.S. children, and tailoring public education messages and other efforts to promote healthy eating to reach low-income communities would more effectively address this epidemic. Yet public health strategies largely neglect the specific nutritional needs of these communities. (July 2006)

Are U.S. Girls Becoming More Violent?
National arrest statistics for simple and aggravated assaults by girls have been on the rise for more than a decade. But researchers are debating if these rising arrest figures mean adolescent females are behaving badly—or that police are just enforcing laws more stringently. (July 2006)

In the News: Speaking English in the United States
Nearly 50 million Americans spoke a language at home other than English in 2004—almost one-fifth of all U.S. residents age 5 or older. And U.S. immigrants are making the transition to English proficiency more quickly than at any time in the country’s history. (June 2006)

In the News: U.S. Population Is Now One-Third Minority
The Population Reference Bureau frequently publishes articles and reports on trends and issues facing U.S. minority groups. Included is a list of PRB's most recent minority-related articles, which include topics such as growth rates of the U.S. Hispanic population, the social and economic isolation of African Americans, labor and unauthorized U.S. immigration, and minority groups in the U.S. military. (May 2006)

Americans Flocking to Outer Suburbs in Record Numbers
A new Census Bureau report says many large cities and inner suburbs are losing population at an increasing pace, while migration from the Northeast and California has slowed from the heavy pace of the 1990s. (May 2006)

The Risk of Negative Child Outcomes in Low-Income Families
The child poverty rate has become one of the most widely used indicators of child well-being in the United States. Poverty thresholds are also used to determine eligibility for many federal, state, and local programs designed to benefit needy children and families. But a new PRB analysis of 2000 Census data suggests that poverty thresholds may not be the best way to determine eligibility for a needs-based program. (May 2006)

Rural America Undergoing a Diversity of Demographic Change
Gains have been greatest in the fringes of metropolitan areas and in rural areas that are proximate to metropolitan areas, that include small cities, and that contain natural and recreational amenities. In contrast, gains have been smallest in the heavily populated core counties of large metropolitan areas and in remote and thinly populated rural areas. (May 2006)

Report Finds Serious Disparities Among Children in North America
A new report from the Children in North America project finds that, while the continent's children have grown healthier and better educated over the last several decades, Mexico lags both Canada and the United States in providing education and health care to its children. (May 2006)