It's commonly accepted that teens who are sleep-deprived (those who get less than the recommended eight to 10 hours per night) suffer the consequences. They do more poorly in school, and they're likelier to get sick. New research suggests they're also likelier to develop problems with alcohol later in life.

Scientists using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which has been tracking 6,500 adolescents since the mid-1990s, found that teens who suffered from conditions such as insomnia, as well as from simply not getting enough sleep, were 47 percent likelier to binge drink than their better-rested peers.

They were also 14 percent likelier in their formative teen years to drive while drunk and 10 percent likelier when they were college-age or older to drive while drunk. They also tended to have more relationship issues.

Maria Wong of Idaho State University, who led the study, said sleep is not the only risk factor for alcohol use, but it is a factor that teens — and their parents — can control. Other studies have found that major risk factors for alcohol use in one's teens are genetics and peer pressure.

Body of Knowledge

At least 100,000 chemical reactions occur in the brain every second.

Number Cruncher

A Hardee's biscuit with gravy (one serving, 251 grams) contains 509 calories, 259 from fat. It has 28.7 grams of total fat, or 44 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet, according to the Calorie Count database.

It also contains 11 milligrams of cholesterol (4 percent), 1,537 milligrams of sodium (64 percent), 54.2 grams of total carbohydrates (18 percent), 3.3 grams of dietary fiber (13 percent), 2.2 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein.

Get Me That, Stat!

Americans who are 85 or older account for only 2 percent of the U.S. population but 9 percent of hospital discharges, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonetheless, the rate of hospitalization for adults 85 or older declined from 2000 to 2010, from 605 hospitalizations per 1,000 people to 553 — a 9 percent decrease.

Doc Talk

Claudication: limping caused by impaired blood supply to the legs.

Phobia of the Week

Belonephobia: fear of pins and needles.

Never Say Diet

The speed-eating record for mixed fare is held by Jay "Gormonster" Gorman, who consumed 1.75 pounds of carrot cake, 1.02 pounds of oatmeal cream cookies and 0.425 pound of apple turnovers in four minutes, 15 seconds. After he won the competition at the 2011 Great Preakness Pony Pig Out National Eating Championship, the chances that Gorman felt well or like throwing up were mixed and fair, respectively.

Observation

"Nobody wants a pain reliever that's anything less than extra-strength. Give me the maximum allowable dosage. Figure out what will kill me, and then back it off a little bit." — comedian Jerry Seinfeld

Medical History

This week in 1871, oleomargarine was patented by Henry Bradley in Binghamton, New York. He called it a "compound for culinary use."

Epitaphs

In a cemetery in Hartscombe, England:

"On the 22nd of June

— Jonathan Fiddle —

Went out of tune."

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.