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A new study finds that teens who send more than 120 text messages per day will be more prone to abuse drugs and alcohol.NEW: study top researcher cautions there is no proof of the cause and effectMore from 120 messages a day to be marked as hypertextingMore from three hours a day on Facebook will be considered hypernetworking

(CNN)--All that texting and social networking by teenagers could return in bytes.

A new study from case Western Reserve University School of medicine links poor health behaviors--including smoking, drinking, and sexual activity--hypertexting and hypernetworking.

The study identifies hypertexting dedicated more than 120 messages per day school Hypernetworking spends more than. three hours a day, school in social network sites like Facebook, he said.

"The startling results of this study show that when it is unchecked texting and other widely popular methods for staying connected can be hazardous for adolescent health," said Scott Frank, lead researcher on the study. "This should be a wake-up call to parents to not only help children stay safe by not texting and driving, but by discouraging excessive use a mobile phone or social websites in General ".

Teen really spending an excessive amount of time online, "he added later during a CNN interview; thereby, contribute to high-tech peer pressure."

Hypertexting reported by approximately 20 percent of the Midwestern teens surveyed, according to the study.

According to the study, the teenagers who are hypertexters:

--two times more likely to have tried alcohol

--almost 3.5 times more likely to have sex

--40 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes

--41 percent more likely to have used illegal drugs

--43 percent more likely to be occasional, which

--55 percent more likely to have a physical fight

--90 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners

Hypernetworking was less pervasive, at 11.5 percent, but still related to a similar list of maladies, the study found.

According to the survey, these teens are:

--60 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners

--62% more likely to have tried cigarettes

--69 percent more likely to be occasional, which

--69 percent more likely to have sex

--79% more likely to have tried alcohol

--84% more likely to have used illegal drugs

--94 percent more likely to have a physical fight

Frank noted that minorities, children of parents with less education, and teenagers from their homes without a father is more likely to engage in This hypernetworking. hypertexting and also cautioned, however, that the study "doesn't prove cause and effect."

"I didn't say texting causes these behaviors," stressed. "Will be able to recognize that these kinds of links ...can facilitate or enable such behaviour, but certainly cannot consider (electronic links) as causing them. "

However, researchers say the results of the study are striking so that it creates a new risk class health care for the age group.

The study is not the first time texting and social networking have come under fire. activities have been blamed for accidents and promote poor grammar skills.

In January, Federal safety regulators propose a set of guidelines for Member States to create laws that would prohibit text messages while driving.

According to the proposed guidelines, drivers caught by typing on a handheld device while behind the wheel will face a minimum fine of $ 75 and undefined action against their driving privileges in cases resulting in serious injury or death, a driving while texting misunderstanding could be regarded as a forgiven.

A banning texting behind the wheel has already been introduced in 19 States and the District of Columbia; Seven States have banned the use of all handheld devices during driving.

And educators have long decried electronic forms of communication for gutting written language skills in students, beginning with e-mail, instant messaging and expansion of continuing with text messaging and social networking.

But it should be noted also that teachers complained about poor grammar before the Internet came to be.CNN Alan Silverleib contributed to this report

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