Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic - London

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Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1
Adolescent health and its implications....................................................................................................1
Influences on adolescent health .............................................................................................................1
Socio-economic background.......................................................................................................1
Gender .......................................................................................................................................2
Age .............................................................................................................................................2
Family and peer influences .........................................................................................................2
Environment...............................................................................................................................2
Co-morbidity...............................................................................................................................2
Interventions in adolescent health ..........................................................................................................3
Nutrition, exercise and obesity .............................................................................................................4
Nutrition, exercise and obesity in adolescents .......................................................................................4
The nutritional status of adolescents..........................................................................................4
Adolescents and exercise............................................................................................................5
Adolescents and obesity..............................................................................................................5
Which adolescents have poor nutrition, are inactive or obese?...................................................7
Interventions in adolescent nutrition, exercise and obesity..................................................................8
Interventions in adolescent nutrition..........................................................................................8
Interventions in adolescent exercise and obesity........................................................................8
Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in adolescent nutrition, exercise and obesity..............9
The importance of early intervention.........................................................................................9
The effectiveness of education...................................................................................................9
The importance of structural and environmental change.........................................................10
Clinical interventions................................................................................................................11
Summary ..................................................................................................................................................13
Smoking, drinking and drug use .........................................................................................................14
Adolescents and smoking, drinking and drug use..............................................................................14
Smoking....................................................................................................................................14
Drinking....................................................................................................................................14
Drug use ...................................................................................................................................15
Which adolescents drink, smoke and use drugs? ......................................................................17
Interventions in adolescent smoking, drinking and drug use ............................................................19
Interventions in adolescent smoking ........................................................................................19
Interventions in adolescent drinking ........................................................................................19
Interventions in adolescent drug use........................................................................................20
Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in adolescent smoking, drinking and drug use.........21
Limiting the availability of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs..........................................................21
Regulating the advertising and marketing of cigarettes and alcohol.........................................22
Educating adolescents about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and drugs misuse......................22
Education promoting the development of social skills .............................................................23
The use of mass media .............................................................................................................23
Targeting interventions in adolescent smoking, drinking and drug use....................................24
Multifaceted interventions........................................................................................................24
Harm minimisation approaches................................................................................................24
Treatment .................................................................................................................................25
Summary........................................................................................................................................................26
British Medical Association Adolescent health