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Sinar Daily
5 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Number of obese and overweight teenagers predicted to rocket
In a major new review of the health and wellbeing of adolescents, experts said some main drivers of ill-health among teenagers have switched from cigarettes and alcohol to weight gain and mental health problems. 01 Jun 2025 08:02am In a major new review of the health and wellbeing of adolescents, experts said some main drivers of ill-health among teenagers have switched from cigarettes and alcohol to weight gain and mental health problems. - Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily LONDON - Almost half a billion teenagers around the world will be overweight or obese by 2030, experts predicted as they warned that adolescent health is at a "tipping point', PA Media/dpa reported. In a major new review of the health and wellbeing of adolescents, experts said some main drivers of ill-health among teenagers have switched from cigarettes and alcohol to weight gain and mental health problems. They warned that mental health among teenagers has seen a "significant decline' over the past three decades, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. And they projected that 464 million teenagers around the world will be overweight or obese by 2030 - 143 million more than in 2015. But the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing pointed out: "In terms of health risks, substance use (specifically tobacco and alcohol) has declined in every region.' The experts on the commission said action is needed to tackle threats to adolescents' health and wellbeing. They warned that progress in teenage health has "lagged well behind' the improvements that have been made in the health and development of young children - with these benefits being at risk of being "undermined' with increased ill-health in teenagers. They added that current funding is "not proportionate with the magnitude of the challenge'. They wrote: "Adolescence can no longer be ignored... the time to act is now.' The authors of the report also highlighted how the shift towards a "more digital world' could have a "profound impact on young people's future health and wellbeing'. But they warned against "overly restricting' access, saying there needs to be a balance, highlighting that the online world offers teenagers new opportunities for social interaction, education, employment and health promotion. Meanwhile, they pointed out that this generation of teenagers is the first to grow up among harsher climate conditions. "Today's adolescents are the first cohort of humans who will live their entire life experiencing the growing reverberations of climate change,' they wrote. Commission co-chairwoman Professor Sarah Baird, from George Washington University in the US, said: "The health and wellbeing of adolescents worldwide is at a tipping point, with mixed progress observed over the past three decades. "Whilst tobacco and alcohol use has declined and participation in secondary and tertiary education has increased, overweight and obesity have risen by up to eight-fold in some countries in Africa and Asia over the past three decades, and there is a growing burden of poor adolescent mental health globally. "Additionally, the challenges faced by the world's adolescents are at risk of being exacerbated by emerging global issues including climate change, world conflicts and a rapid transition to a more digital world. "Investing in the health and wellbeing of young people is crucial for safeguarding our collective future.' The authors of the commission's report point out that "investment in adolescent health will become increasingly important throughout the 21st century', adding: "As populations age and fertility rates fall in even the poorest countries, ensuring the health and wellbeing of adolescents will be crucial to all countries' health and prosperity.' - BERNAMA-PA Media/dpa More Like This
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Sylvia Park phone kiosk worker avoids conviction for intimate photo theft attempt
The consequence otherwise, the judge said, would have almost certainly been deportation and would likely be followed by a genuine threat to his safety upon his forced return to Sri Lanka due to having dishonoured his family name. His safety would be at further risk, Judge Fraser said, if a name was put to the viral video post - 'likely continuing the social media scrum of scorn and abuse', including a large number of racist comments. The customer's confrontation with the employee, in July last year, was viewed more than 1 million times on TikTok and was shared on other social media sites as well. It showed the irate victim insisting on an explanation from the defendant's manager as the defendant stood quietly in the background. At the end of the video, the defendant appeared to faint. Court documents state the victim had handed her Apple iPhone over to the Mobile Planet kiosk around 12.30 that afternoon wanting it fixed ahead of an overseas holiday. Another employee took her information, including her phone access code, and told her to return in 45 minutes. 'She inquired why her pin number was required and was told it was to check the camera function after it was fixed,' the agreed summary of facts for the case states. The defendant then scrolled through her photos and used the Apple AirDrop function - used to wirelessly send files between nearby phones - to send the nude photo of the customer to himself. In the viral TikTok video, it was explained that the victim had taken the photo years ago for a partner and the employee would have needed to scroll for quite some time to get to it. After collecting her phone, the woman received a message that an AirDrop attempt had failed. The notification included a thumbnail photo of the intimate image. 'The victim gave the staff of Mobile Planet permission to access her phone for the purpose of fixing her camera,' authorities noted in the summary of facts. 'She did not give the defendant permission to view her photographs and attempt to obtain the photographs, which are her property.' The defendant, who has no previous criminal history, pleaded guilty to trying to access a computer system for dishonest purposes. 'He accepts this is wrong. He is deeply remorseful for it,' said defence lawyer Sarah Baird, who described her client as an 'otherwise exemplary young man who has made a mistake'. Since then, she said, he has tried to pay back the community for the 'momentary lapse in judgement' by volunteering at Auckland City Mission for over 100 hours. Advertise with NZME. Police opposed the defendant's application for a discharge without conviction but were neutral to his permanent name suppression application. The media opposed suppression, noting the futility of trying to contain the already widely distributed video. The victim, who did not attend the hearing, also opposed the requests. In a written victim impact statement referred to by the judge, the woman said she continues to feel anxiety in public spaces. The incident, she said, triggered 'past trauma of men taking advantage of me'. Now she has trouble trusting people even in a professional environment, she said. 'She said she should not have to live with the violation while you walk away without consequences,' Judge Fraser noted. But the judge also pointed to defence submissions that the defendant came from a respected family in Sri Lanka, where family honour plays a large part in the culture. He feared emotional rejection, long-term isolation and physical violence if his family were to find out about the case, the court was told. The judge referred to the defendant's own explanation, that he came across the photo by accident and impulsively decided to send it to himself 'out of foolish curiosity and poor judgment'. The defendant said he is thankful the attempt failed. 'There is absolutely no doubt that you are experiencing remorse,' Judge Fraser said, adding that the defendant has been assessed as having a low likelihood of reoffending. 'The consequences [of name publication] for you are enormous.' The judge ordered the defendant to pay $1500 in emotional harm reparation to the victim. He acknowledged, however, that the defendant wouldn't have the ability to pay it off until he is able to gain employment again.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Over 46 cr adolescents globally will be obese by 2030, face many health disorders: Lancet
New Delhi: The health of adolescents is at a tipping point, with more than 46 crore adolescents globally estimated to be obese and face several health and mental disorders by 2030, according to an analysis published by the Lancet Commission on Wednesday. In the second analysis on adolescent health and well-being since 2016, the Commission estimates that by 2030, one-third of adolescents in high-income countries in Latin America, and the Middle East will be overweight, underscoring the shortcomings in combating adolescent obesity. The analysis, based on data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study, projects that 46.4 crore (or 464 million) adolescents globally will be overweight or obese by 2030 -- 143 million more than in 2015. There will still be over 1 billion of the world's adolescents (aged 10–24 years) living in countries where preventable and treatable health problems like HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe sex, depression, poor nutrition and injury collectively threaten the health and well-being of adolescents. Notably, in 2030, 4.2 crore years of healthy life will be lost to mental disorders or suicide (20 lakh more than in 2015). "The health and well-being of adolescents worldwide is at a tipping point, with mixed progress observed over the past three decades,' said Commission co-chair, Professor Sarah Baird, from George Washington University in the US. "While tobacco and alcohol use has declined and participation in secondary and tertiary education has increased, overweight and obesity have risen by up to eight-fold in some countries in Africa and Asia over the past three decades, and there is a growing burden of poor adolescent mental health globally,' she added. Further, the Commission also identified several significant new threats to adolescent health such as climate change and the shift toward a more digital world. Today's adolescents are the first generation who will live their entire lives with the average annual global temperature that has consistently been 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. And by 2100, 1.9 billion adolescents will live in a world that is expected to warm to around 2.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, bringing catastrophic risks to their health such as heat-related illnesses, reduction in food and water quality and availability, and a rise in mental health conditions related to climate events. The projections suggest that, without political will, policy initiatives, and financial investments, there will still be more than 1 billion adolescents living in multi-burden countries in 2030. Baird urged for increasingly "investing in the health and well-being of young people' to safeguard the 'collective future'.
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Over 46 Crore Adolescents Globally Will Be Obese By 2030, Says Study
New Delhi: The health of adolescents is at a tipping point, with more than 46 crore adolescents globally estimated to be obese and face several health and mental disorders by 2030, according to an analysis published by the Lancet Commission on Wednesday. In the second analysis on adolescent health and well-being since 2016, the Commission estimates that by 2030, one-third of adolescents in high-income countries in Latin America, and the Middle East will be overweight, underscoring the shortcomings in combating adolescent obesity. The analysis, based on data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study, projects that 46.4 crore (or 464 million) adolescents globally will be overweight or obese by 2030 -- 143 million more than in 2015. There will still be over 1 billion of the world's adolescents (aged 10-24 years) living in countries where preventable and treatable health problems like HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe sex, depression, poor nutrition and injury collectively threaten the health and well-being of adolescents. Notably, in 2030, 4.2 crore years of healthy life will be lost to mental disorders or suicide (20 lakh more than in 2015). "The health and well-being of adolescents worldwide is at a tipping point, with mixed progress observed over the past three decades," said Commission co-chair, Professor Sarah Baird, from George Washington University in the US. "While tobacco and alcohol use has declined and participation in secondary and tertiary education has increased, overweight and obesity have risen by up to eight-fold in some countries in Africa and Asia over the past three decades, and there is a growing burden of poor adolescent mental health globally," she added. Further, the Commission also identified several significant new threats to adolescent health such as climate change and the shift toward a more digital world. Today's adolescents are the first generation who will live their entire lives with the average annual global temperature that has consistently been 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. And by 2100, 1.9 billion adolescents will live in a world that is expected to warm to around 2.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, bringing catastrophic risks to their health such as heat-related illnesses, reduction in food and water quality and availability, and a rise in mental health conditions related to climate events. The projections suggest that, without political will, policy initiatives, and financial investments, there will still be more than 1 billion adolescents living in multi-burden countries in 2030. Baird urged for increasingly "investing in the health and well-being of young people" to safeguard the "collective future".
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Lancet study flags adolescent health challenges for 2030: Why diet, anaemia and mental health must be in focus
Poor nutrition, anaemia and mental health will be a challenge for one billion adolescents globally by 2030, according to an analysis by the Lancet Commission. The analysis used data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study. New projections suggest that, without political will, policy initiatives and financial investments, adolescents will be exposed to health risks in countries which are already battling multiple disease burdens. COMMON ADOLESCENT HEALTH ISSUES The Lancet Commission estimates that nearly one-third of adolescent girls will be anaemic globally by 2030 while 464 million adolescents (boys and girls) will be overweight or obese (143 million more than in 2015). Similarly, adolescent mental health has seen a significant decline over the past three decades in countries with available data, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. POOR NUTRITION, ANAEMIA KEY CHALLENGES IN INDIA The report uses a measure called Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), which are the years of healthy life lost due to sickness, disability or premature death. The DALYs attributable to communicable, maternal and nutritional conditions among girls in India is 14,155 per 100,000 population, while it is 12,310/per lakh in boys which remains above the target of <2,500 per 100,000. The DALYs due to nutritional deficiencies in girls in the age group of 10-24 is 1,358 out of every 100,000 while in boys it is 370.9 per lakh. Altogether 52 per cent girls and 20.8 per cent boys in this age group were anaemic when the target should be less than 10 per cent. Also, 43 per cent of girls in the 15-24 age group are among those who are 'Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET),' posing serious challenges in health and youth engagement. In India, the rate of DALYs attributable to mental health and self-harm in the girls in the 10-24 age group was 2.738 per lakh. SOME RIGHT POLICY MOVES Commission co-chair Professor Sarah Baird, George Washington University (USA), said that India has made important policy progress by overturning penal codes for consensual same sex relationships and adding adolescent health as a separate topic in the medical education curriculum. 'India has also been identified as an exemplar country for handling teenage pregnancies,' she says. IS CLIMATE CHANGE A NEW THREAT? The Commission identified several significant new threats to adolescent health like climate change and the digital revolution. 'Today's adolescents are the first generation who will live their entire life with the average annual global temperature that has consistently been 0.5 degree centigrade higher than pre-industrial levels. And by 2100, 1.9 billion adolescents will live in a world that is expected to warm around 2.8 degrees above pre-industrial times, bringing catastrophic risks for their health such as heat-related illnesses, reduction in food and water quality and availability, and a rise in mental health conditions related to climate events,' the report said. Youth Commissioner Surabhi Dogra says the report factors in air pollution as a non-communicable disease risk factor. She also made a strong case for investing in the future of teen health. 'Adolescent workers in informal sectors such as agriculture continue to face exploitation and occupational health dangers. We need to equip them with skills and opportunities to obtain jobs in the green and blue economies,' she adds.
