The generation ‘at risk of being left behind’ amid mental health and obesity crisis
Why Gen Z are ‘at risk of being left behind’
- Experts warn that Generation Z risks becoming a "left-behind generation" concerning their health, despite exhibiting lower rates of drinking, drug use, and smoking compared to previous generations.
- Significant concerns are emerging over rising obesity levels among 16 to 24-year-olds, with rates increasing from 31 per cent in 2002 to 37 per cent in 2022.
- Mental health conditions are a major issue, as the proportion of 17 to 19-year-olds with a probable mental health disorder more than doubled from 10 per cent in 2017 to 23 per cent in 2023.
- The King's Fund highlights that Generation Z is struggling to access support for mental health conditions or disability because services have not kept up with demand.
- There are signs of Gen Z becoming increasingly disengaged with NHS services, reporting poorer experiences across various healthcare provisions, alongside a high rate of relative poverty affecting over 1.2 million young people.