Family, friends and people in the school context (e.g. classmates and teachers) are an important part of adolescents’ lives. On one hand, these people put expectations on the adolescents (e.g. to follow rules, to adopt (group) norms, to perform well at school). On the other hand, these people can offer adolescents a lot (e.g. practical and emotional help, social interactions, new experiences). Perceiving the relationship with these people as positive and thinking to be able to meet their expectations can to positively influence adolescents’ well-being.
Because of the many profound physical, psychological and social changes that take place during adolescence, and the varied challenges adolescents are confronted with, it is normal for some adolescents to temporarily feel uncomfortable in their skin and/or go through difficult emotional states. However, frequent and persistent physical and/or psychoaffective complaints can affect their everyday life and their psychosocial development (e.g. difficulty concentrating at school, less desire to do physical and/or social activities etc.).
Overweight and particularly obesity, is associated with an increased risk of various negative health outcomes (orthopaedic problems, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.), both in adolescence and adulthood. In addition, a negative body image can have a negative impact on adolescents' well-being and lead to inappropriate weight loss attempts.
Adolescents are curious and like to experiment. They may therefore try psychoactive substances such as nicotine, alcohol, cannabis (or other illegal substances) and certain pharmaceutical drugs. However, the use of these substances entails risks for their health and development. Depending on the substance, there are consequences such as injuries, physical fights, non-consensual sexual experiences, and attention and concentration difficulties at school. In addition, there is the risk of developing an addiction.
A balanced diet during adolescence promotes a healthy development, can reduce the risk of obesity and helps to prevent chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes type 2, coronary heart disease) from developing in adulthood. Additionally, having breakfast on a daily basis is recommended. In addiction, shared family meals are supposed to have positive effects on health as well.
Physical activity includes sports (e.g. swimming, football) as well as other forms of movement (e.g. walking or biking to school, playing outdoors). Regular physical activity has positive effects on many aspects of young people's physical and mental health, and contributes to their cognitive development. For adolescents, the Swiss Health and Physical Activity Network (hepa.ch) recommends an average of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, aerobic physical activity across the week.
Internet and screens are an integral part of adolescents' lives, be it for communication, entertainment, learning or information-gathering purposes. While they have many advantages, they also have their downsides. Adolescents can be exposed to content that is inappropriate for their age, unrealistic or that puts them in danger. Prolonged use can lead to eye or musculoskeletal problems, and the time spent in front of the screen can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle. There is also a risk of losing control of the time spent on certain online activities, such as gaming and social media, with significant negative impacts on everyday life.
During adolescence many adolescents fall in love for the first time and have their first sexual experiences. These experiences are an essential part of transitioning into adulthood. However, unfavourable circumstances such as very early sexual initiation, a lack of knowledge about sexual health or the use of psychoactive substances can increase the risk for unprotected or non-consensual sexual experiences.
In their social environment, teenagers may be the victims of aggressive behaviour or may themselves display it towards others. Such behaviour can take various forms: physical fights among peers, (cyber-) bullying and other offences. Being a victim of such behaviour can have a negative impact on both physical health as well as psychological well-being. As for the offenders, they may face legal consequences.
