NEW YORK — US teenagers responding to a government survey say they are having a lot less sex, drinking and using drugs less often, and are not smoking as much.

‘‘I think you can call this the cautious generation,’’ said Bill Albert, spokesman for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Among a decline in several risky behaviors, a sharp decline in sexual activity stood out to researchers.

The survey found that only 41 percent said they had ever had sex, after the figure had been about 47 percent over the previous decade. It also found marked declines last year in the proportion of students who said they had sex recently, had sex before they were 13, or had sex with four or more partners.

The study is conducted every two years by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

About 16,000 students at 125 schools, both public and private, were surveyed. Participation was voluntary and responses were anonymous. Results were released Thursday.

Associated Press

Key findings

¦ Fewer than 11 percent of the teens said they had smoked a cigarette in the previous month — the lowest level since the government started doing the survey, when the rate was 27 percent.

¦ Just under a third said they had at least one alcoholic drink in the 30 days before the survey, down from 35 percent in the last survey and down from 45 percent in 2007.

¦ The survey asked about electronic cigarettes, which have exploded in popularity in the past few years. It found about 24 percent had used electronic cigarettes or vaping products in the previous month.

¦ A little under 22 percent of teens said they used marijuana in the previous month. That’s down a bit from the previous two surveys.

¦ About 17 percent of the students said they had taken prescription drugs without a prescription, in response to a question that listed as some possible examples painkillers like Oxycontin and Vicodin and ADHD drugs like Adderall and Ritalin.SOURCE: Associated Press