LAPSED CHILDREN - Tartu Ülikool

ÕPILASTE HEAOLU JA TERVIS STUDENT WELL-BEING AND HEALTH
In 2006 more than one
third of boys suffered
from sleeping
disorders
The consumption of
sweetened drinks is
the highest among
children at the age
of 13
Usually all types of complaints are more frequent with girls than with boys, but the survey of
2006 exceptionally shows higher proportion of complaints among boys than girls: sleeping
disorders in case of boys: 32.5%, girls: 28.8%; abdominal pain in case of boys: 23%, girls:
20.3%.
Eating habits represent a crucial factor in health behaviour. On the one hand they are
certainly connected with the economic situation and capabilities of a household, but more
important are the choices students make under similar circumstances, e.g. either to eat
chips or fruit. In all age groups fruit is more frequently included in the diet of girls; major
differences are observed among the students at the age of 15: fruit consumption doubled in
2001, and increased by one third in 2006. In case of 8–11% of students another reason for
the increase in fruit consumption besides notification work was also improved economic
situation in Estonia in 2001–2006 which accompanied the increase in purchase power at
household level.
In Estonia, as well as in other Baltic States and Scandinavian countries, sweetened drinks
are consumed much less than in southern countries. The consumption in 2006 maintained
the same level as in 2001. The proportion of students at the age of 11, 13 and 15, who daily
consume sweetened drinks with high sugar content was 9–12% in 2005/2006; the
consumption of sweetened drinks was the highest among children at the age of 13.
According to both surveys boys in all age groups tend to consume sweetened drinks
approximately twice as much as girls.
In academic year 2001/2002 the proportion of overweight or obese boys at the age of 13
and 15 in Estonia was less than 10% and the respective proportion among girls was less
than 5%. Compared to the previous survey, the proportion of overweight children increased
slightly in 2006: by 3.8% among boys aged 13–15 and 1.7% among girls. Obesity among
boys is twice as big as among girls. Child obesity has not yet become such a huge problem
in Estonia as it is elsewhere in the world. For example in the United States the share of
overweight/obese children is about 30%. Compared to Estonia, the proportion of overweight
children is much bigger in Nordic countries (Greenland, Finland, Iceland), but smaller in
Latvia and Lithuania.
The proportion of students, who have been moderately physically active for at least 60
minutes in four or more days during the past 7 days, has increased 10% over the period of
four years. This indicator is also associated with the economic situation: the better the
economic situation, the higher the physical activity parameter of respondents (Table 13 on
page 48).
Risk behaviour
Among 15-year-old
girls, the share of
those who had
smoked their first
cigarette at the age
of 13 or earlier was
43% in 2006
Health assessment is affected by health behaviour, which is associated both with physical
activity, diet, regular health examination and risk behaviour (smoking, alcohol and drug
abuse, etc.).
Smoking is extremely hazardous to health. Regular smoker is a person who smokes at least
once a week (Table 14 on page 49).
Regular smoking has become slightly less frequent among students, but there is still no
reason to rejoice. The younger the student commences smoking, the stronger the impact of
smoking on health. Therefore it is important to consider not only the frequency, but also the
total period of smoking.
At the same time we have to admit that the time of starting smoking has shifted towards
earlier age, particularly in case of girls: in 2001/2002 the total of 39% of girls started smoking
at the age of 13 or earlier, but in 2005/2006 already 43% of girls started smoking at that age.
In case of boys, the change was just one percentage point, i.e. from 64% to 65%. This
indicator ranks Estonia first among countries participating in the survey.
Boys consume alcohol more actively than girls. Regular consumption of alcohol (at least
once a week) has slightly decreased over four years, and so has the Estonian ranking
among other countries. Still, in 2006 over a quarter of boys and about one fifth of girls (aged
15) consumed alcohol at least once a week.
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LAPSED. CHILDREN