To inform students of health risks (posed by behavior, environment, and genetics) and provide schools with collective risk appraisal information as a basis for planning/evaluating health and wellness initiatives, New Mexico administered the Teen Wellness Check in 1985 to 1,573 ninth-grade students from 7 New Mexico public schools. Subjects were 52% male and 48% female. Ethnic distribution was 46% Anglo, 36% Hispanic, 9.5% Native American, 2% Black, 1% Asian, and 5.5% other. Respondents confidentially answered questions on health-related knowledge and practices regarding family history, dental hygiene, alcohol and drug use, exercise, nutrition, sexuality knowledge, smoking, stress, and motor vehicle safety. Overall findings indicated 73% didn't always wear seatbelts, 62% didn't eat variety from 4 food groups daily, 50% didn't eat 5 breakfasts weekly, 40% didn't get 20 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 times weekly, 30% drank alcohol, 27% drove or rode with drivers under influence of alcohol/drugs, 23% were highly stressed, 15% smoked cigarettes, 15% used alcohol with other drugs, 12% often felt life was not worth living, 10% didn't brush teeth daily, 6% drank 5 or more alcoholic drinks daily, 2% smoked 1 or more packs of cigarettes daily, and 2% were 20% or more overweight. (NEC)