03 March 2015
The full findings of a new health and lifestyle survey for Jersey’s young people shows continued improvements in most behaviours supportive of good health.
The ‘Picture of Good Health’ survey, carried out across Island schools, shows
good reductions in young people’s smoking and drinking behaviours
that drug use is still uncommon in the under 14s
increases in levels of young people being physically active
The survey was carried out in spring 2014 among pupils aged between 10 and 15 in 40 local schools in years 6, 8 and 10, with a total of 2,675 responding. This represents 86% of all young people of these ages in the Island.
Head of Health Improvement, Martin Knight, is encouraged by the findings. He said “Jersey’s young people report mostly healthier lifestyles and are showing positive improvements in behaviours such as smoking and drinking, whereas in our adult population these same behaviours cause us to have some of the worst health when compared to the UK.”
Other positive changes in lifestyle trends since 1998 include:
more eating fruit, vegetables, meats and salads on most days
more using a helmet when cycling
fewer eating crisps and chocolates
fewer being afraid to go to school because of bullying
fewer having been offered cannabis and other drugs
There are some findings where improvements have not been seen. For example
despite the majority of young people eating a balanced diet, with healthier options eaten more often than unhealthy ones, nearly 1 in 5 young people remain overweight or obese
young people in Jersey generally report high to medium levels of self-esteem, however there has been a small reduction in the numbers reporting this since 2006. This is particularly evident among 14 - 15 year-old girls, where a combination of wellbeing, worry and quality of life indicators are suggestive of small increases in poorer mental health
fewer 14 - 15 year-olds are sexually active in Jersey than in the UK, but of those that are just under half reported not using a condom the last time they had sex
Access the 'Picture of Health 2014' survey
gov.je