These are the results of the national HBSC Survey (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children), which is held among school-goers aged 11 to 16. The report was compiled by researchers from the University of Utrecht, the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP).
This is the third time that the Netherlands has participated in the HBSC survey. By comparison with the previous measurements (2001 and 2005), the changes to the wellbeing and behaviour of young people are virtually all positive. In a nutshell, the young people reported somewhat healthier eating habits, they have a better relationship with their fathers, they experience less bullying at school and the youngest groups smoke and drink less. However, when the youngsters do start to drink, they quickly develop a pattern of heavy drinking. According to chief researcher, Wilma Vollebergh, of the University of Utrecht, the 15 and 16 year olds drink as much as a number of years ago, and that is still far too much.
Risk Groups
Youngsters who are not doing so well include those from lower educational levels (VMBO), and those who are not living with both parents. According to Vollebergh, VMBO pupils have a more problematic profile virtually across the board, than adolescents from higher educational levels. For instance, they experience more psycho-somatic symptoms, have less healthy eating habits, they take less exercise and they smoke and drink more. They also rate their relationship with their parents less positively.
In a number of respects, the gap between the educational levels appears to be growing: daily smoking among higher educational groups (VWO) is virtually zero (less than 1%), in contrast to daily smoking among VMBO pupils. Children from broken homes are also flagged as a risk group in the report. These youngsters report lower wellbeing, a poorer relationship with their parents and classmates, and more risk behaviour across the board than children from intact families.
Parents
For the first time, parents of the adolescents were surveyed as part of the HBSC study. The results showed that when parents encouraged their children to adopt a healthy lifestyle, the children were indeed more likely to do so. However, parents still underestimate the risk behaviour of their children: in general they tend to view the health behaviour of their children through rose coloured spectacles.
The survey also compared attitudes of parents towards smoking, drinking and cannabis use to the measurements of two years previously. The findings showed that during this period, parents' attitudes to smoking, drinking and cannabis use among adolescents have become more negative, and they have become stricter in regard to alcohol use. It seems campaigns directed at parents in relation to their children's behaviour have been successful. And, according to Vollebergh, this is very important for the future to encourage youngsters towards healthier behaviour.
More information:
Ronnie van Veen, press information officer, Faculty of Social Sciences, r.a.b.vanveen@uu.nl.
Wietske de Lange, press information officer, Universiteit Utrecht, w.delange@uu.nl.
Marjan Heuving, communications advisor, Trimbos Institute, mheuving@trimbos.nl.
