Daily life of young people – School Health Promotion study 2023

Many young people do not eat breakfast or school lunch on school days.

In their responses to the School Health Promotion study, 37 per cent of boys and 47 per cent of girls in grades 8 and 9 of basic education reported that they do not eat breakfast every school day morning. About one third of 1st and 2nd-year students in general upper secondary schools and about one half of 1st and 2nd-year students in vocational institutions did not eat breakfast every school day morning. Skipping breakfast has become slightly more common among girls after 2021.

In 2023, one quarter of boys in grades 8 and 9 of basic education, one fifth of boys in the 1st and 2nd year of general upper secondary education and one third of girls in the same age groups reported that they engaged in vigorous exercise for no more than one hour per week. About one third of boys and almost one half of girls studying at vocational institutions reported the same. Engaging in free-time physical activity has become more common among boys since 2019, while the situation with girls has remained almost unchanged.

The proportion of those sleeping less than eight hours has decreased slightly since 2021 in almost all the age groups. Thirty-one per cent of boys and 41 per cent of girls in grades 8 and 9 of basic education slept less than eight hours on weeknights. Forty per cent of boys and 45 per cent of girls studying in general upper secondary schools and about one half of students in vocational institutions reported that they slept less than eight hours on weeknights.

The School Health Promotion study produces monitoring data on the health and welfare of children and young people and the services provided for them. This statistical report discusses the key results of the year 2023 with regard to daily life of pupils in grades 8 and 9 of basic education and 1st and 2nd-year students in general upper secondary schools and vocational institutions. This statistical report discusses the main results of the 2023 School Health Promotion study with regard to daily life of pupils in grades 8 and 9 of basic education and 1st and 2nd-year students in upper secondary schools and vocational institutions. The results are based on the responses of 151,224 young people. The results are examined in relation to the previous data collection year (2021), during which the COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing. Longer-term changes are reported when at least three measurement points show a direc-tion in the development of the phenomenon.

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According to the horizontal bar chart, 34 per cent of boys and 39 per cent of girls in the 1st and 2nd year of general upper secondary education and 50 per cent of boys and 56 per cent of girls in the 1st and 2nd year of vocational education and training did not eat breakfast every school day morning. The other proportions have been described in the text. According to the figure, 24 per cent of boys in grades 8 and 9 of basic education, 20 per cent of boys in the 1st and 2nd year of general upper secondary education and 30 per cent of girls in the same age groups engaged in vigorous exercise in their free time for no longer than one hour per week. Of 1st and 2nd-year students in vocational institutions, 36 per cent of boys and 46 per cent of girls did the same. Fifty-one per cent of boys and 50 per cent of girls in vocational institutions slept less than eight hours, the other proportions have been described in the text. — Indicators describing the daily life of young people by gender and school level in 2023, %.

Tables

Background information

Description of statistics

The Daily life of young people statistics are based on School Health Promotion (SHP) studies carried out in 2006–2023. The next SHP study will be carried out in 2025.

The respondents of the School Health Promotion study include the following groups:

Young people in grades 8 and 9 of basic education
1st and 2nd year students in general upper secondary schools or vocational institutions
Children in grades 4 and 5 of basic education – however, their responses are not reported as part of the Daily life of young people statistics.

The data is collected anonymously. The respondents fill out an electronic questionnaire at school during a lesson.

The SHP study contains questions on well-being, inclusion and leisure time, health and functional capacity, lifestyle, school attendance and studies, family and living conditions, safety of the growth environment, and services and access to assistance.

The obtained data can be used to promote the health and well-being of the children and young people and their families, and to develop teaching practices and social welfare and health care services.