Britain's teenagers are stressed, drink too much and think they're fat

"Particularly concerning is the increase in school-related stress which may be contributing to poorer mental wellbeing" eyecrave/iStock

Britain's 15-year-olds are suffering due to pressure at school, feeling fat and drinking too much, according to a new report.

Teenage boys and girls in England, Scotland and Wales are less likely than the average child from 42 countries and regions to report a good life satisfaction and liking school, while some girls struggle to talk to their mothers, the new World Health Organisation (WHO) study found.

Girls also tended to report higher levels of regular drinking, while both sexes felt overweight.

The study of almost 220,000 young people in 42 countries and regions in Europe and North America found that, among 15-year-olds:

The report also found that more young people from the least affluent households (lowest 20%) reported poorer results on a number of health indicators than those from the most affluent households (highest 20%), than in many other European countries.

These measures included daily fruit consumption, eating a daily breakfast, sedentary behaviour such as watching TV, and taking exercise.

Dr Joanna Inchley, deputy director of the Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit from the University of St Andrews, which led the study, said Scottish youngsters were doing well in some areas but there was still cause for concern.

She said: "Particularly concerning is the increase in school-related stress which may be contributing to poorer mental wellbeing especially among 15-year-old girls. It is essential that we look at ways of providing support to young people to help them navigate the challenges they face during adolescence."

 

PA