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Teens are sexting — and at higher rates than previously reported. In the first study of the public health impact of teen sexting, researchers found that close to 30 percent are engaging in the practice of sending nude pictures of themselves via email or text. Further, the practice is indicative of teens’ sexual behavior overall and, particularly, girls’ participation in risky sexual behaviors. These findings, from a University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston study that is the first to explore the public health impact of sexting, are published in the July 2 issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Coverage also appears in the Houston Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, The Huffington Post, KPRC (Channel 2 Houston), KHOU (Channel 11 Houston), WebMd, UPI, MSN, USA Today, CBS News, US News and World Report, Yahoo News, Science Daily and MedPage Today, and more than 100 other news outlets nationwide and internationally.