BACKGROUND: Goals for reduction of adolescent American health risks include reduction of prevalence of early initiation of sexual activity among teens in the United States to <15% for fifteen year olds and <40% for seventeen year olds. Such a prevalence reduction would concomitantly reduce the risks for both unwanted teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including HIV/AIDS. METHODS: A population of Seventh-day Adventist youth surveyed in1989 reported a prevalence of teenage sexual activity <22%, less than half the percentage of sexual activity observed in general population high school youth. This study evaluates the hypothesisthat Adventist Lifestyle behaviors modify the risks associated in other studies with precocious intercourse. An analysis of odds ratios for premature sexual activity for each of 40 variables forms the basis for this study. In addition to the odds ratios associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs, odds ratios for participation in popular entertainment, physical activities, social activities and culture specific behaviors are also studied. RESULTS: While Adventist youth show a percentage of youth participating in early intercourse well below that of adolescents in the general population, these youth show odds ratios for known risk behaviors higher than those reported in another adolescent population by a recent similar study. Within this Adventist population, many generally accepted behaviors of the average American populace appear to be risk behaviors. This fact suggests the presence of an "interface" of potential risk behaviors to be found in the undefined boundaries between Seventh-day Adventist culture and the general American culture which bears further study. / Graduation date: 1993