Factors Influencing Health Of Children And Young People

10.5.06

OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY
• Reduction in physical activity in children has led to obesity.
• Diet also has huge impact - more fast food - high fat, high sugar, less important nutrients - ADVERTISING.

Children 2-10
• 20% overall UK population obese (BMI >30).
• Similar pattern in children.
• Type II diabetes diagnosed in 11-year-olds.
• Children exceeding maximum recommended adult intake.

Obesity and ill health
• Hypertension.
• CHD and stroke.
• Type II diabetes.
• Some cancers.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Mental ill health.

Diet and health
• Up to a third of deaths from cancer and CHD could be prevented by a better diet.
• Eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Five a day
• Average UK consumption is 2.8 portions of fruit and veg per day.
• Consumption significantly lower in lower socio-economic groups.
• 20% children eat no fruit.

Diet and health inequalities
• Shopping not done at market/supermarket costs 25% more.
• Healthy diet costs 50% more than unhealthy diet.
• Fruit and veg account for significant proportion of this.

MENTAL HEALTH
Depression in children
• Children - 2-4%.
• Adolescents - 4-8%.
• May present as:
-Behaviour disorder.
-Withdrawn.
-Irritability.
-Uncooperative.
-Disruptive.

Self harm
• Evidence that 10% children self harm.
• Rates now highest in Europe.
• Numbers increased.
• Female:male ratio = 7:1.
• Why do people self harm?

Drug use in last year in 11-15-year-olds
• Illicit drugs:
-Boys - 15%.
-Girls - 13%.
• Smoking:
-Boys - 9%.
-Girls - 12%.

Alcohol consumption (11-15-year-olds)
• Alcohol in last week:
-Boys - 25%.
-Girls - 23%.
• Average consumption per week:
-Boys - 11.6 units.
-Girls - 9.1 units.

Calculating units
• ABV (%) x Volume consumed/1000.

SEXUAL HEALTH
STIs
• 1980s and early 1990s: gradual decline.
• Since 1995, progressive rise.
• Genital warts.
• Chlamydia.
• Gonorrhoea.
• Herpes.
• HIV.

Teenage pregnancy - failure to decline.

The mother
• Single parenthood.
• Educational failure.
• Poverty.
• Unemployment.
• Ill health.

The child
• Increased stillbirth.
• Increased infant mortality.
• More accidents.
• More hospital admissions.
• More likely to live in poverty, to fail in direction, to become teenage parents themselves.

Teenage pregnancy strategy:
• Prevention.
• Support.

CHILD ABUSE
• Physical eg. hitting, throwing, poisoning etc.
• Emotional eg. telling child they're useless, unwanted etc.
• Sexual - physical or non-physical.
• Neglect - withholding food, shelter, clothing, protection from harm.

Prevalence
• 30,000 children on Child Protection Register.
• 600 added each week.
• 25% of rape victims are children.
• 1 child dies each week due to cruelty.

1997 study
• 150,000 children suffer severe physical punishment each year.
• 100,000 each year have potentially harmful sexual abuse.
• 450,000 bullied at school at least once a week.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Definition:
• Physical, psychological, sexual or financial.
• Intimate/family-type relationship.
• Pattern of coercive/controlling behaviour.
• Most victims/survivors women.

Impact on children
• 90% incidents children in same room.
• 25% cases children also subjected to violence.
• 33% children on Child Protection Register have mothers who are victims of domestic violence.

Impact on health
• Immediate result of physical violence.
• Secondary effects of chronic physical and psychological ill health.

Chronic ill health - children
• Frequent appointments.
• Physical injury.
• Vaginal discharge.
• Depression.
• Behaviour problems.
• Sleep problems.
• Enuresis.

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000.
Women's Aid: 08457 023 468.