Americans love football. Last weekend's Super Bowl was the third-most-watched television event of all time. But despite its popularity, statistics show youth participation in tackle football has trended down in recent years. Some parents don't want to let their kids play because of safety concerns but America is divided on this issue. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics is still debating what the recommendations should be for youth football.

Today, we'll hear from one of the people working to craft those guidelines. Dr. Andy Peterson is the team physician for the Iowa Hawkeyes football team and his research focuses on youth sports and the validation of sideline concussion tests. He shares his reasons for allowing kids to play tackle football.

But first, we're talking about specific data that suggests why some communities are more supportive than others of kids playing tackle football. Mariah Warner is a PhD candidate at The Ohio State University and she's the lead author of a first-of-its-kind study.

Mariah Warner's research

Dr. Peterson's research

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