ABSTRACT
The orthodox view of young people’s health and wellbeing is of continuing improvement, in line with historical trends. In this chapter, I argue against this view because it over-estimates the importance of declining death rates and underestimates that of adverse trends in a range of non-fatal, chronic health problems, both physical and mental. These problems have their sources in quite fundamental features of modern societies, and optimizing wellbeing will mean making correspondingly fundamental social and cultural changes. Young people reflect best the tenor and tempo of the times because they are growing
up in them. Because of their stages of biological and social development, they are also most vulnerable to social risks. Many of the attitudes and behaviours – even the illnesses – that largely determine adult health have their origins in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. So the health of young people shapes the future health of the whole population: their health is not only important in its own right, or for their sake, it is crucial to assessing the overall state and fate of societies. I define health very broadly to include all aspects of wellbeing, not just clinical disease,
disorder and disability. I use the terms ‘health’ and ‘wellbeing’ somewhat interchangeably and sometimes together to emphasize their many dimensions: illness and wellness, physical and psychological, objective and subjective. My focus, however, is on mental health and wellbeing; physical health is discussed elsewhere.
