Sponsored by
Young left depressed and anxious by modern Britain
A QUARTER of children say they often feel depressed and blame bullying, constant exams and anxiety about the way they look.
The disturbing findings, published in a report by the Children's Society today, also show that 70 per cent are so unhappy about their bodies that they are on a diet some or all of the time.
The report comes just months after a Unicef study of 21 industrialised countries found Britain's children were the unhappiest in the Western world.
The study – the fifth part of the Children's Society's Good Childhood Inquiry – seems to re-inforce the view that children in Britain are increasingly unhappy with their lot. A sixth report on values is planned before the final report next year.
Today's report on health draws on evidence from children, young people, adults and professionals gathered since 2005.
In one survey of 8,000 young sters aged 14 to 16, 27 per cent agreed "I often feel depressed" and in an online vote, by CBBC Newsround, 22 per cent said they felt bad or really bad because of pressure from school, their peers, bullying, family expectations and their looks.
Prof Stephen Scott, from the Institute of Psychiatry, said: "Many respondents to the inquiry shared the belief that wellbeing depends on good relationships – especially within the family – and on a sense of purpose and on freedom. To achieve this, child mental health and wellbeing must be everybody's business."
Children's Minister Kevin Brennan insisted most young people in Britain were healthy and felt good about themselves, but admitted there were problems.
"That is why we issued our Children's Plan, which aims to make this the best place in the world to be a child," he said.
Unhappy Children
27 per cent often feel depressed.
70 per cent are on a diet some or all of the time.
22 pent feel bad or really bad about their health.
One in 10 didn't do any exercise in the last week.
13 per cent of girls and 10 per cent of boys aged 10 to 15 suffer mental health problems.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Three-inch blanket of snow heading our way today
- Alan Shearer in list of favourites for Leeds and England jobs: Latest odds
- Barnsley’s Keith Hill invokes Fawlty Towers over link with Leeds job
- McCormack feels United search can be narrowed down
- Redfearn throws down gauntlet as queue builds at Elland Road
- Rival chips in with £500,000 to restore the original Harry Ramsden’s
- Visit from Princess as Serbian culture celebrated
- SportsTalk: Leeds United’s manager search, Super League and Calcutta Cup
- Libraries aren’t like supermarkets, they are magical places where dreams begin
- Strategic review will lead to job losses at Yorkshire Bank
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
