Teen girls engage in more risky behaviour than boys: Quebec study
Fewer young people in secondary school are drinking alcohol, consuming sugary drinks and eating junk food, but not all their habits are improving.
More of them are also inactive, taking action to change their weight and not eating breakfast before going to school.
These are just some of the findings of the Enquête québécoise sur la santé des jeunes du secondaire 2022-2023 conducted by the Quebec statistics institute (ISQ). The survey polled 70,825 young people in 483 public and private, French- and English-language secondary schools across Quebec.
The results published on Monday show that the proportion of students who drank alcohol in the 12 months preceding the survey fell from 60 per cent in 2010-2011 to 47 per cent in 2022-2023. The rate of students who drank excessively also tended to fall. For the same periods compared, this proportion has fallen by 12 percentage points.
“One of the things that stands out is that we can see from the 2022-2023 data that girls are more likely than boys to engage in risky behaviour. More girls than boys drink alcohol or drink excessively, and more girls than boys use cannabis. This is the first time we've seen this difference between the two genders,” said ISQ spokesperson and researcher Florence Conus.
Overall, the proportion of young people who have used cannabis has fallen, from 25 per cent in 2010-2011 to 16 per cent for the 2022-2023 survey. Over the same periods, the proportion of students who have smoked cigarettes has fallen from 11 to 2.3 per cent.
Students are now turning more to vaping.
The data show that the proportion of young people who used e-cigarettes in the 30 days preceding the survey rose from 11 per cent in 2016-2017 to 16 per cent in 2022-2023 (data for this indicator are non-existent for 2010-2011).
Less junk food and more fruit and vegetables
The ISQ survey also reveals that the proportion of secondary school pupils who drink sugary drinks on a daily basis has fallen. Six years ago, nearly one in four students consumed at least one sweetened drink a day, whereas today it is more like one in five.
Young people seem to be drinking more water than before. Between 2016-2017 and the most recent data, the proportion of pupils who drank at least four glasses of water a day rose by four percentage points to 46 per cent.
However, secondary school pupils report eating less fruit and vegetables. A quarter of the young people surveyed said that they ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis, compared with 31 per cent in 2010-2011.
They also seem to be eating less in snack bars, with 37 per cent saying they ate junk food from a restaurant at least once a week for lunch at school.
This figure was 46 per cent in 2010-2011.
More teenagers go to school hungry. Nearly 26 per cent of boys do so (21 per cent).
Furthermore, 65 per cent of secondary school students are taking action to change or maintain their weight; 24 per cent are trying to lose weight; 15 per cent are trying to gain weight; 25 per cent want to maintain or control their weight.
More girls than boys are trying to lose or control their weight. The opposite is true for boys, who are more likely to be trying to gain weight.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 25, 2024.
The Canadian Press health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Post strike: Union 'extremely disappointed' in latest offer, negotiator says
A negotiator for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) says the latest offer from Canada Post to end the ongoing strike shows the carrier is moving in the "opposite direction."
Canada's air force took video of object shot down over Yukon, updated image released
The Canadian military has released more details and an updated image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023.
Invasive species could be hiding in your Christmas decor. Here's how to stop the spread
Make sure to look through your holiday decorations, as Christmas trees, wreaths, and other natural decor can have invasive insects, eggs, and plants that pose a threat to local ecosystems and the economy.
Sask. doctor facing professional charges in circumcision case
A Saskatoon doctor has been accused of unprofessional conduct following a high-cost adult circumcision that included a request for the patient to text unsecured post-op pictures of his genitals.
Quebec City bus driver arrested for drunk-driving after collision
A Réseau de transport de la capitale (RTC) bus driver has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after being involved in a collision in Quebec City late Friday evening.
Notre Dame reopens its doors to Macron and other world leaders in a rare symbol of unity
France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.
A legacy of valor: Only 16 Pearl Harbor survivors remain. On the 83rd anniversary, they still share stories of heroism
On Saturday, thousands will gather on the shores of Pearl Harbor for the 83rd anniversary of the bombing. There are Only 16 survivors who are still alive.
Why finding the suspected CEO killer is harder than you might think
He killed a high-profile CEO on a sidewalk in America’s largest city, where thousands of surveillance cameras monitor millions of people every day.
'Shameful': Monument honouring fallen soldiers included names of living veterans
Veterans are asking for answers after discovering that two sculptures in Ontario honouring fallen soldiers include the names of many people who are very much alive.