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LAST UPDATE | 8 Mar 2021
THERE HAS BEEN a significant drop in the number of children drinking and smoking in the last 20 years, research has shown.
There has also been a decline in the number of young people taking cannabis across genders, ages and social classes.
The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Trends Report (HBSC) found that, between 2002 and 2018, there was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of young people aged 15 to 17 who had ever smoked who reported having had their first cigarette at the age of 13 or younger.
The research shows this figure dropped from 61% in 2002 to 32.1% in 2018.
The number of children currently smoking also dropped by 17% in 20 years.
The study compared findings of health behaviour in children aged 10 to 17 from 1998 to 2018. It found that 5.3% were smoking in 2018, compared with 22.6% in 1998.
The report also found that fewer children had reported being drunk since 1998.
Research showed that 19% of children in 2018 said they had been drunk, compared with 33% in 1998.
There was also a decrease in bullying, with 25.1% in 1998 saying they had bullied others, compared with 13.7% in 2018.
The number of young people who said they were on a diet or doing something else to lose weight rose to 14.4% in 2018 from 11.9% in 2002.
There was a particular increase in older boys reporting being on a diet.
Between 1998 and 2018 there was a statistically significant rise in the proportion of children who said they brushed their teeth more than once a day, from 57.6% in 1998 to 70.1% in 2018.
The proportion of children who reported participating in vigorous exercise four or more times a week remained stable over the 20 years, at 52.6% in 1998 and 52.1% in 2018.
Between 2010 and 2018 there was a statistically significant fall in the proportion of young people aged 15 to 17 who reported having had sex – 22.0% in 2018 compared with 25.5% in 2010 – with the decrease is more evident in girls.
Between 1998 and 2018 there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of children who reported feeling low, rising from 23% in 1998 to 34.3% in 2018.
This was particularly evident in lower-class groups.
There was also a statistically significant rise in the proportion of children who reported finding it easy to talk to their father about things that really bother them, jumping from 47.4% in 1998 to 71.5% in 2018.
The report revealed that more boys find it easier to speak about issues to their mother and more girls find it easier to speak to their father today than 20 years ago.
The report was led by senior researcher Aoife Gavin in collaboration with the HBSC research team at the Health Promotion Research Centre in NUI Galway.
Junior Health Minister Frank Feighan said: “This international project has provided us with essential data which has helped to shape and inform policy relating to the health and wellbeing of our children and young people.
“This new trends report gives us a wonderful opportunity to take stock, both of the many very significant improvements to our children’s health, and of those areas where we have not, perhaps, made as much progress as we would have liked.”
Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman said: “Ireland is headed in the right direction when it comes to the health of young people, and it is clear that past government initiatives to support healthy choices are having a positive impact on reducing alcohol consumption and smoking, helping to keep our young people safe.
“The research also suggests that an increased emphasis is needed around supporting the positive mental health of young people, and, following the impact of Covid-19, this is an issue that may become more prevalent.”
Co-principal investigator Dr Colette Kelly, from the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “There is a continuing positive trend in children communicating with parents and reports of good places in the local area to spend free time.
“The report also highlights areas in need of improvement. In particular, more young people are reporting that they feel pressured by school work and there is an increase in the proportion of children who report feeling low.”
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This problem starts at the top. It’s a common occurrence to see a professional footballer screaming obscenities at referees. Even now with VAR making decisions. Until that starts being punished, kids will do the same.
@Rocky: Yep, and managers attacking them on sky sports after games. The ref has always been seen as the villain in football. Monkey see; monkey do.
@Rocky: There’s a rule that diving is a yellow card offence. Rarely used. Looking for an opposing player to be booked is a bookable offence. Never used. So no point being in new rules when refs won’t use the ones that are in. And I’m in agreement with you. It does start with the professionals. If a player seems Neymare rolling around at the slightest tip then there going to do it. And Pundits and managers are equally to blame.
@Rocky: nail on the head. Same to some extent with GAA. Then on a rugby pitch you’ve the opposite. No surprise the kids playing each sport (and their parents/coaches) follow suit with what they see on the TV.
@Pseud O’Nym: it happens in rugby too, especially at underage.
@Pseud O’Nym: Yeah. Shame rugby players didn’t behave a bit better when they’re not playing the game.
@Vonvonic: what are talking about, Soccer & GAA are 10 time worse than rugby players, bad eggs in every walk of life can’t just single out one discipline
Any team’s or their supporters who abuse a referee should be blacklisted for future games until they get their house in order.
I’ve never understood why the ref’s in football are so weak and nor hand out yellows followed by reds for any player hurling abuse. It would only take a weekend in the likes of the “Premiership” before teams copped on. And now that all the ref’s have a mic, they should follow the rugby and have it televised, no hiding when everyone at home can hear the foul language.
Who would be a ref. Even when there right there wrong. Take GAA for example. Most players sent off in semi finals have there red card overturned no matter what they dis to receive the red. If a ref sends off a player too early (again for no matter what) there seen yo have ruined the game. And then GAA wonder why they cant recruit refs.
@Cormac Flanagan: and then when a referee makes a decision, the GAA omertha kicks in and they never back then. E.g. James Owens, Conor Lane, hung out to dry by the authorities this year for their decision.
The standard in the Airtricity League is absolutely shocking!
@Ciaran McCann: here is an idea, you become a ref and we will see how you get on
Christ above. Soft world were living in these days.. put them to work in a call centre for 6 months first after that the abuse on a pitch will be a dream
@Diarmuid O Brien: such a pi#ss poor comment.
@Paul Gorry: As opposed to your wonderful input on this story, he’s not wrong either, Retail staff, call centre workers and Bar staff know all about getting abuse and I can tell you it’s a hell ooff lot worse than referees get.
Some of the refereeing mistakes seen, you wouldn’t see in an under 12s game, the problem is that they aren’t experienced enough to ref in big matches and they don’t have the technology to help them (Goaline technology, Video Ref, etc)
@Paul Gorry: lol..sorry your offended by such a light hearted comment..you should join the referees who claim to be abused too..counseling might be needed. Ill try to remember your feelings for future comments
@Adam J: how often do workers in those sectors face returning to their car after finishing to discover tyres slashed, windows smashed, cases where the individual is locked into their workplace (changing room), or even bundled into the boot of a vehicle, as a form of revenge for decisions made, cases of physical assault, or cases where your family is contacted and threats made against your family? For those who think I’m exaggerating, I spent 8 years as a soccer ref in the mid to late 90s in Dublin and either had these happen to myself, or to my colleagues.
As for the technology you mention, don’t see much of that in about 95% of matches played, particularly at schools level or the junior/intermediate leagues.
@Diarmuid O Brien: i mean they are being abused and they aren’t paid enough to take that kind of abuse. You should give it a try. Let’s see how long you would last
@Diarmuid O Brien: A call center? Jesus, have we got to the stage where call center work is considered tough? Bless.
Give them all cattle prods, you’ll see their tenure increase and abuse go in the opposite direction
Not like the old days when they left because they needed glasses…
A by-product of the culture of corruption within the FAI?
@Eddie O’Neill: Yep the FAI are responsible for dimwitted !mbeciles who think it’s acceptable direct vile abuse at another human being. Go back to sleep and stops fishing for likes with buzz words
@Phil Redmond: You’re missing my point. My point was that the governing body has not addressed this long running problem, they can issue bans/fines/sanctions to players, staff, fans for incidences of referee abuse. They have a large part to play in addressing this. If there is no consequences for these actions then you are always going to get the imbeciles, that you referred to, that are too stoopid to work out what is the correct way to deal with their base emotions.
@Eddie O’Neill: Fair enough but maybe next time say that. You’re original comment implies it’s the FAI’s fault it’s happening in the first place which obviously isn’t the case. This is a problem with the culture of football as a whole and it happens in plenty of countries not just here. Yes FAI could be doing more to fight it but so could everyone else. Clubs need to take action as well instead of waiting for the FAI to hold their hand. The refs at underage level as well get awful abuse especially from parents. Clubs need to clamp down on that. Ban little Johnny from playing football if daddy can’t keep his mouth shut and you’ll see a change in behaviour quick enough
Well if they keep putting up the wrong posts, well
At least they have a fall back plan, from what I can gather they’re all expert wank3rs
@Hugh Morris: very mature
@D. Memery: I didn’t come up with the phrase…
Because they’re shyte
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