Adolescents (10-19 years) are often thought of as a healthy age group. There are many causes that leads adolescents to adopt unhealthy lifestyle. Some of them can be reckless drivers which can lead to accidents, suicide, violence, pregnancy related complications or just negligence of health. Many suffer chronic illnesses and disability. You should note that many serious diseases in adulthood have their roots laid in adolescence. For example, tobacco use, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, poor eating and exercise habits, lead to illness or premature death later in life.
Promoting healthy practices during adolescence, and taking steps for betterment of the youngsters and to protect them from health risks are essential for the prevention of health related problems in adulthood, and for countries future health.
Below are some causes for unhealthy adolescents behaviour:
1. Alcohol and drugs:
Drinking reduces self-control and increases risky behaviours, such as unsafe sex,rash driving,violence,and in some cases over drinking can result in premature deaths. It will also lead to health problems in later life.
2. Mental stability:
Most youngsters suffer from depression and if it is not cured it may prove fatal leading to suicide. Depression is the first cause of illness and disability among adolescents and suicide is the third cause of death. Violence, poverty, humiliation and feeling devalued can increase the risk of developing mental instability.
3.Malnutrition:
In developing countries, many children enter adolescence undernourished. They income level is low so they can’t afford nutritional diet making them more vulnerable to disease and early death.
4. Obesity:
On the contrary, the number of adolescents in developed countries are overweight or obese as these kids mainly rely on junk foods.
5. Risky sexual behaviour:
Adolescents need to be careful with their partners. Many of them fall prey to many STD’s and that takes a toll on their health.More than 2 million adolescents are living with HIV.
To curb the ill effects of their behaviour government should promote programmes that helps to nurture relationships between parents and children early in life, providing training in life skills, and reducing access to alcohol and drugs can help to prevent violence.
These Programmes will help youngsters to strengthen their ties with their families and will make them see that family is important. If problems arise, they should be detected and managed by competent and caring health workers.Youth should know how to shield themselves from bad social influence.
BY BASMAH ANSARI
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