Good health has always been something people strive for. As society has become increasingly more affluent our understanding of what is meant by the term “health” has been broadened beyond the notion of simply not being sick. The term now encompasses the importance of keeping fit, diet control and maintaining a good appearance. As the concept of health has expanded, so too has the market in heath products and programmes. There are now a wide array of health foods, dietary supplements and fitness classes available. The widening concept of healthcare has become part of the way young people think about their lives and the choices they have to make as they mature. To gain more information on young people’s perception of health, an opinion survey was conducted among the youth using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Researchers also read extensively in the subject area. The young people who were interviewed were encouraged to express their opinions and feelings.

It is clear from the survey that young people today are very much concerned about their physical appearance. This issue appears to be even more important to many young people than health. Results show that the perception of health has gradually moved away from the traditional concept of absence of major illnesses. Now health is  perceived in terms of fitness or slimness. According to the opinions of the respondents in the survey, a new definition of health should include physical appearance, a positive state of well-being (feeling well and healthy) and improved endurance and energy. However, the concept of slim beauty dominates the findings of the survey and the concern for physical appearance and skincare over exercise and healthy eating habits among young people has many implications for healthcare education. 

Clearly, the concept of health has changed in recent years. Young people no longer view health as an absence of illness, that is not being sick, but rather as something which can be judged from the way a person looks. Also, they do not see health as a quality which creates “beauty from the inside” i.e. young people perceive health mainly in terms of external factors: physical appearance — especially good skin, hair and teeth — and slimness. More and more young people are increasingly willing to achieve these features by a low-impact lifestyle — treatments, medicines and dietary supplements — rather than by adopting good habits of eating well and exercising regularly.

One of the most revealing findings of the study was that more than 30% of respondents felt that they were overweight and reported using weight-control products and/or joining a weight-control programme. In most instances, these products and programmes were not being used in conjunction with a programme of regular exercise. The safety of the weight-control products (which might be slimming pills or special powders or teas) was not a concern and most respondents reported that
a particular product had been recommended to them by friends. A significant minority (16%), however, had learnt about the products they were using from advertisements. Some 88% felt that the products they used were safe and would have no long-term negative effects on health. Weight-control products and programmes, then, are rarely supervised by recognized and independent professionals in the field of nutrition  or even by parents. Indeed, most respondents informed the researchers that they did not tell their parents about using a weight-control substance.

Achieving the ideal of slim beauty does not necessarily involve the subjects of our study in programmes of exercise. In fact, the survey results show that only about a quarter of young people   regularly, although nearly a third work out occasionally. Almost 14% of the young people work out surveyed never worked out. Those who did work out normally did so in a park or playground. Few of the respondents had become members of gyms and the usual reason given was that while
membership of these facilities was highly desirable, they were far too expensive for most young people.

The survey also questioned respondents about their food intake. The majority reported eating only one main meal per day — the evening meal. Breakfast for those who did have more than one meal tended just to be a cake or bun of some kind and something to drink. Lunch was usually more substantial; noodles perhaps with some meat and vegetables or a hamburger with chips. But small portions were the norm for young people in the survey and this was because most of them spent only thirty minutes on lunch before returning to their studies. When questioned about whether they thought they were getting enough minerals and vitamins every day, the majority of respondents                 said they did not know, although 21% said they were taking vitamin supplements of various kinds. What respondents typically eat, as well as when they eat, is clearly a cause for concern.

Survey results also indicate that our younger generation pay little regard to their medical condition; more than three-quarters of the respondents had not had a medical check-up in the last two years. A further point of concern is that 15% of those surveyed reported that they were either regular or occasional smokers. This shows quite clearly that health awareness as a preventative measure against later problems is not strong among young people.

A final and very important point concerns sleep, and in this connection the survey findings reveal some alarming habits, especially with regard to the time young people actually go to bed. Roughly three-quarters of the young people surveyed went to bed later than 11.00 p.m. and nearly a quarter at or after 1.00 a.m. This delay in going to bed is caused by a number of factors: watching TV, playing computer games or using the Internet are significant factors, but so is homework. Nearly one-third of the young people in the study reported that they regularly began their homework at around 10.00 p.m. and continued for two to three hours. The effect of going to bed late is the build-up of a “sleep deficit” which is bound to affect concentration and performance levels the next day.

The destructive trends identified by our research need to be resisted using a mixture of legislation and education. Clearly, advertisements for potentially dangerous products such as slimming pills and the skin-whitening products that have become so popular among young women should be regulated by law. This would force manufacturers either not to advertise or, if they did, to provide any necessary warnings about the composition and side effects of the products. There is surely a need for governments to regard slimming substances as drugs rather than as food supplements — especially if they contain recognized medical or pharmaceutical chemicals — and to ensure that they undergo clinical trials. If it is felt that it is not appropriate to reclassify these substances as drugs if they do not contain pharmaceutical chemicals, then a new classification could be created for them, one that is monitored closely by governments. The term “dietary supplement” (used to classify weight-loss products by the respected Food and Drug Administration of the USA) would surely be a good model for the world to follow.

Another important step which governments should take as soon as possible is to raise the health awareness of young people through improved health education. Most primary and secondary school syllabuses worldwide cover a wide range of health related topics such as personal hygiene, eating a balanced diet, common diseases and nutrition. However, health subjects should be made much more interesting in schools and this could be done by bringing experts into schools to give talks on the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Video programmes could also be used to demonstrate different kinds of exercise. It may also be useful for students to listen to talks given by people who are suffering from poor health as the result of a bad habit such as smoking.

Finally, what can young people themselves do to increase their prospects of long-lasting good health? There is nothing wrong with wanting to achieve the best possible appearance, but the means of achieving that appearance do matter. Health should begin inside the body and this means developing good habits such as combining a balanced diet with a regular programme of exercise. The exercise does not have to be anything too hard. Most doctors advise young people to play a sport or game they enjoy — and incidentally dancing is an excellent form of exercise. But the programme needs to be regular —at least three 30-minute sessions per week — and the diet also needs to be regular; three equal and moderate meals a day is far better than one large meal eaten late in the day! 

Finally, what can young people themselves do to increase their prospects of long-lasting good health? There is nothing wrong with wanting to achieve the best possible appearance, but the means of achieving that appearance do matter. Health should begin inside the body and this means developing good habits such as combining a balanced diet with a regular programme of exercise. The exercise does not have to be anything too hard. Most doctors advise young people to play a sport or game they enjoy — and incidentally dancing is an excellent form of exercise. But the programme needs to be regular —at least three 30-minute sessions per week — and the diet also needs to be regular; three equal and moderate meals a day is far better than one large meal eaten late in the day!