Portrait of Youth in Canada: Physical Health & Behaviours
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Description: Portrait of Youth in Canada: Physical Health & Behaviours
Portrait of Youth in Canada: Physical Health & Behaviours
Compared with older Canadians, youth were in the best physical shape of their lives. They reported better health, smoked less (at least on a daily basis), were more active and were less obese than older Canadians.
Physical health and behaviours, by age group, household population, 2018 and 2019
Men | Women | |
---|---|---|
15 to 30 years | 70% | 66% |
31 to 46 years | 69% | 65% |
47 years or older | 53% | 54% |
Men | Women | |
---|---|---|
15 to 30 years | 8% | 6% |
31 to 46 years | 14% | 9% |
47 years or older | 13% | 10% |
Men | Women | |
---|---|---|
15 to 30 years | 12% | 12% |
31 to 46 years | 22% | 19% |
47 years or older | 23% | 20% |
Transport | Recreation | |
---|---|---|
15 to 30 years | 18 | 19 |
31 to 46 years | 16 | 16 |
47 years or older | 12 | 12 |
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2018 and 2019.
Mental health
Self-reported mental health in Canadian youth has been worsening in the last five years and the pandemic has accelerated the decrease.
Year | Men | Women |
---|---|---|
2015-2016 | 74 | 67 |
2017-2018 | 71 | 60 |
2019 | 66 | 54 |
July 2020 | 44 | 33 |
Sources: Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 to 2019, Canadian Perspectives Survey Series, July 2020.
Substance use
Heavy drinking and cannabis use in the past 12 months is higher among White Canadians (compared with those designated as visible minority) and among people in household with the highest income.
Heavy drinking | Cannabis use | |
---|---|---|
Income | ||
Lowest quintile | 19 | 32 |
Highest quintile | 33 | 37 |
Visible minority status | ||
Visible minority | 16 | 23 |
White | 29 | 41 |
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2019.
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