Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – The World Health Organization has published a report that reflects the low mental health of European adolescents, in addition to facing some physical health challenges as well.
The study, published on Monday, did not take into account the effect of the Corona virus on mental health, as the data focuses on the time period, between 2014 and 2018. However, this research is an opportunity to compare it with future mental health studies.
The report addresses the mental and physical health data of more than 227,000 adolescents, ages 11, 13 and 15, who live in 45 different countries and European regions.
Adolescents, who are in a good financial position, reported that they were satisfied with their lives and their overall mental condition. However, mental health declined as children age, and girls reported more problems compared to boys.
Among all teenagers, 1 in 4 people say they feel stressed or excited at least once a week, and many have indicated that they have difficulty sleeping.
The report indicated that the challenges faced by adolescents were not only mental. Physical activity for less than 1 in 5 people met the criteria, while the proportion of adolescents who reported obesity increased to 1 out of every 5 people, due to the quality of their diet.
The report found that adolescents, who belong to well-positioned families, follow a high-quality diet.
The study showed that the number of teenagers, who say they drink alcohol or smoke, has decreased. However, the number of young people who drink alcohol at the age of 15 is still high.
In general, alcohol and tobacco use increased between the ages of 13 and 15, with 1 in 7 adolescents reporting being inebriated in the past 30 days.
Teens also take sexual risks. Since 2014, the number of adolescents who have reported sex has decreased in about a quarter of the countries surveyed.
Among teens 15 years of age who have sex, less than two-thirds reported using a smart condom, while 1 in 4 of them used birth control pills.
“The numbers of boys and girls throughout the European region who report poor mental health, such as feeling weak, nervous, or irritable, is a concern of all of us,” says Dr. Hans-Henry Cluj, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
He added: “How to respond to this growing problem will resonate for many generations. Investing in young people, for example, by ensuring that they have easy access to mental health services appropriate to their needs, will have a triple return, that is, achieving healthy, social, and economic gains for adolescents today. , Adults tomorrow, and future generations. “
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