The second Lancet commission, through a publication in the magazine of the same name, launches an alarm. If we don’t do something in terms of Education, information and attention to health Through a targeted action, by 2030 more than half of teenagers (over one billion in the world) could be in countries at risk for psychophysical well -being, according to what emerges from several indicators, such as the mental health and the overweight linked to poor nutrition and poor physical activity.
The numbers worry
The analysis uses the data of the Global Burden of Disease study of 2021. The Commission estimates that almost 1.1 billion of teenagers They live in countries where preventable and curable health problems such as HIV/AIDS, early pregnancies, unprotected sexual intercourse, depression, poor nutrition and accidents continue to represent A daily threat to their healththeir well -being and their life opportunities. This figure is confronted with just under 1 billion of teenagers who lived in multi-burden countries (i.e. with the aforementioned characteristics) in 2016.
In short: there is a deficiency of progress in facing the health of teenagers. New projections suggest that, without political will, political initiatives and funding. Despite investments, In 2030 there will be even more than 1 billion of teenagers who live in countries with multiple charges.
Compared to the report published in 2016, ten years ago, the Commission analyzing the data on young people of over 36 countries puts in line what has improved and what is going worse instead. With results that certainly do not invite you to optimism, also in terms of unevenness for public health. Generally, in fact, there has been a drop in smoke and alcohol consumption With an improvement in participation in educational paths, in particular for girls. But they are The pathologies related to obesity is growing and problems like anxiety and depression, practically all over the world. Going more to analysis it turns out that teenagers in low and medium income countries represent over a quarter of the population and endure a disproportionate share of the global load load (9.1%), yet they receive only 2.4% of global development aid.
Attention to psyche, anemia and overweight
Be clear. The chest of whirlpool designed by estimates for the future leaves room for some positive observation. In particular, compared to the analysis that appeared ten years ago, the global improvements in education and in the Reduction of global smoke rates and alcohol consumptiondespite the storm linked to the impact of the Covid pandemic.
But there are still aspects that have large margins of improvement, even in apparently “suspicious” areas. Think in this sense of the risk of anemia. According to the Commission, estimates a little less than one in three young people may have hemoglobin deficit Compared to the needs within the next five years, with potential impacts both on the body and on cognitive abilities. Anemia can cause fatigue, hinder growth and cognitive development and, in extreme cases, also lead to damage to different organs for the chronic deficiency of oxygen.
Chapter mental health. The negative trend of the last decades continues, with the really heavy impact linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the rarefaction of social relationshipswhich further influenced the situation. The commission estimates indicate that for 2030 42 million years of healthy life will be lost due to mental disorders or suicide (2 million more than in 2015). Further projections indicate that a third of teenagers in high -income countries, in Latin America and in the Middle East will be overweight By 2030, which highlights the deficiencies in the fight against obesity in this age group. In 2030, the Commission estimates that 464 million of teenagers globally will be overweight or obese (143 million more than in 2015).
An One Health approach
In addition to these aspects, experts indicate possible new significant threats to the health of teenagers, linked to situations such as the climate change And the path to a more digital world. In particular, it is noted that today’s teenagers are the first generation that will live for a lifetime with one Global average annual temperature constantly higher than 0.5 degrees compared to pre -industrial levels. By 2100, 1.9 billion of teenagers will live in a world that is expected to heat up by about 2.8 degrees compared to pre -industrial levels, with consequent catastrophic risks for their health, such as heat related diseasesreduction of the quality and availability of food and water and an increase in mental mental health problems related to climatic events.
The Commission has started a new systematic review to identify the impact of climate change on mental health of teenagers. The revision noted that it is climatic disasters at rapid action, such as hurricanes, both the slower effects, such as theChronic food insecuritycontribute to mental health disorders in teenagers, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.
In addition to reporting the importance of paying attention to an One Health approach, the Commission reports how the digital transition It offers teenagers new opportunities for social interaction, education, employment and health promotion. But it also warns: many key and emotional key experiences take place online and no longer through direct contacts can affect the future. In short. Although the impact of the digital world, in particular of social media, on the mental health of teenagers remains widely debated and with limited causal evidence, it is necessary to remember how important it is protect Young people on this front, trying to prevent any damage related to the excess of the use of virtual relationship systems or the excessive limitation of digital access.
