Policy into practice Health and wellbeing

21 April 2009 1 min read Anne Longfield Health

The issue: Good health and wellbeing are vital if teenagers are to make the transition to adulthood successfully. However, consistent health inequalities combined with peer pressure, an increase in unsupervised time and the constant glorification of excess through the media are taking their toll.

Statistics show that teenagers in the UK are now exposing themselves to higher risks than in other developed countries. While more than a third of children aged 11 to 15 in England are now overweight, there is also a growing tendency for teenagers, particularly girls, to control their weight by unsuitable methods.

Meanwhile, figures on mental health paint a challenging picture with recent reports suggesting that one-tenth of 16- to 25-year olds felt that life was meaningless, and 27 per cent said they were always or often depressed.

CASE STUDY 1

Step Forward is a charity based in east London that aims to improve the lives of young people aged 11 to 25 in Tower Hamlets and the surrounding areas. Its services include confidential information, guidance and counselling, advice on personal development activities, family support and a weekly sexual health clinic run in partnership with the NHS.

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