Choking game may lead to more risky behaviors in kids, study says

According to a new study published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 6 percent of eighth graders polled in Oregon have participated in "the choking game" as a means to a high, and it might lead to more risky behavior.

ABC News reports the game occurs when a person uses some type of restriction like a rope or belt to cut off blood and oxygen to the brain until they pass out. When oxygen rushes back, it causes sense of euphoria.

The study was based on 2009 data from an Oregon Healthy Teens survey that polled 5,400 eighth graders. Of those who played the game, 64 percent played more than once and almost 27 percent did it over 5 times, CBS News wrote.

More from GlobalPost: 'Cinnamon challenge' trend sparks health concerns

It found both girls and boys were equally likely to participate and both were more likely to report being sexually active or likely to abuse substances.

Recently, health officials warned parents about another game – the "cinnamon challenge," a new craze in which people attempt to swallow one tablespoon of cinnamon in under a minute, according to NPR.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers told CBS that nearly 90 percent of phone calls in the first three months of 2012 were connected to the "cinnamon challenge," an increase of over 240 percent from the whole of 2011.

Over half the calls were from teens aged 13 to 19 years old.