Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle for children and young people aged 0-19 years is central for individuals to reach their potential. Living a full, content and active life for good health includes not only physical health but also mental, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. A healthy lifestyle includes factors such as a balanced and healthy diet, physical activity, not participating in harmful activities such as smoking, misusing drugs or consuming more than the recommended quantity of alcohol as is age appropriate and avoiding risky behaviours, for example, practising safe sex and road safety. A healthy lifestyle also comprises positive mental health strategies such as managing stress, effective school/work-life balance, and opportunities for education, training and development. It also consists of emotional development through positive social relationships and a healthy environment in life surroundings such as within the home, education, work and the wider community.
In Derby:
- 70% of babies are breastfed at birth and this rapidly decreases to just 1% of infants exclusively breastfed by six months old
- 93% of infants receive one dose of the MMR vaccination
- 60% of children achieve ‘school readiness’ (good level of development in key areas) by age 5 years old
- 31% of children have one or more decayed, missing or filled teeth
- 21% of children are obese (BMI >30) in Year 6 (aged 10-11 years old)
- 19 per 100,000 children are killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions
- 53% of 15 year olds report eating 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables daily
- 8% of children aged 15 years old are current smokers and 24% have tired e-cigarettes
- 58% of 15 year olds have reported trying alcohol
- 1 in 10 15 year olds have tried cannabis
- 55% of 15 year olds have been bullied in the last couple of months
- 37 per 100,000 persons aged under 18 years were admitted to hospital for alcohol-specific conditions
- The rate of conceptions in females aged 15-17 years old is 26 per 1,000
- 1.5% teenage mothers
- Less than half of teenagers achieve 5 A*-C GCSEs
- 6% of 16-18 year olds are not enrolled in education, employment or training
- The rate of 10-17 year olds receiving their first reprimand, warning or conviction is 536 per 100,000
Good nutrition, physical activity and positive behaviours in early life provide the building blocks for physical health in adulthood. However, the five core areas - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social – produce a healthy lifestyle in individuals.