Most young people, during their transition to adulthood, report being in good health and fairly well informed about prevention. However, “this transition to independence, punctuated by experiments, can weaken their state of physical and mental health,” says INSEE. in its 2013 edition of the report “France, portait social”. This study reports risky behaviors that can have repercussions on the health of 15-24 year olds, ranging from social marginalization to increased risks of illness and mental disorders in adulthood.
In 2010, for example, nearly one in five college girls said they were on a diet, and 42% of them saw themselves as a little or much too fat. Overweight problems are indeed a growing reality which concerns 18% of young girls aged 18 to 24 in 2012. In this regard, INSEE recalls the conclusions of studies implicating the reduction in sleep time and the imbalance of food.
On the alcohol side, the situation is not improving compared to previous editions. One in two 17-year-olds report having been drunk at least once during the year. “In CM2 class, 54% of children say they have already consumed alcohol. Later, in high school, experimentation with alcohol is almost generalized for both sexes”, specifies INSEE. The same goes for tobacco: after a decline between 2005 and 2008, consumption among young adults has increased again.
“In this research to break the rules, boys pay a heavy price with nearly 2,300 deaths among 15-24 year olds in 2010, deaths associated with violent deaths (road accidents and suicides)”, concludes the Institute.