Young Irish people drinking and smoking less but dieting more

Young people in Ireland are turning to alcohol later in life and fewer are smoking tobacco and cannabis, according to a major health behaviour study.

The NUI Galway research found a growing proportion of young people are trying to lose weight but that the number exercising regularly has fallen slightly.

The Health Promotion Research Centre at the university has been gathering data relating to some 50,000 10-17 year olds since 1998 and its latest report examines patterns in the period to 2014.

Participants said they were having their first alcoholic drink at a later stage, with the number who had consumed alcohol by 13 falling from 48 per cent in 2002 to 30 per cent in 2014.

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The number who said they had drank so much alcohol at some point in their lives so that they were “really drunk” fell from 33 per cent in 1998 to 21 per cent in 2014.

The proportion of 10-17 year olds who said they smoked in 2014 was 8 per cent, down from 23 per cent in 1998. Eight per cent of respondents in 2014 reported using cannabis in the previous year, down from 12 per cent in 1998.

There was an increase in the number of children who reported that were trying to lose weight with 16 per cent saying they were on a diet in 2014 compared to 12 per cent in 2002. The number of children exercising fell slightly from 53 per cent in 1998 to 52 per cent in 2014.

However, 34 per cent reported their health was excellent in 2014 compared to 28 per cent in 1998.

Prof Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, of the NUI Galway Health Promotion Research Centre, said the sustained decrease in smoking and in alcohol use among children is welcome but the physical health of children needed to improve.

Greater happiness

“Importantly, the proportion of children reporting high life satisfaction and being happy, fundamental aspects of childhood, is high and has been sustained over the years, while health and safety behaviours such as wearing a seatbelt and brushing teeth have increased substantially,” said Prof Nic Gabhainn.

The study, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, suggests school is becoming more popular with 72 per cent saying they liked it in 2014 compared to 68 per cent in 2002. The number who said they felt pressured by their schoolwork increased from 33 per cent to 43 per cent in the same period.

The report found a significant decrease in the number of children who said they lived with both parents. In 1998, 91 per cent of children lived with their mother and father compared to 76 per cent in 2014.

Minister of State for Health Promotion Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy said lifestyle patterns are established at an early age and that these can lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiac disease.

“Having detailed information about the lifestyle choices of our children is hugely significant for the choices we make as a country on the future direction of our national health policy,” she said. “It is important that we now listen to the responses of our children on these key questions and work together to build a health system that responds to this information.”