23rd May 2025 (13 Topics)
1
May
2
May
3
May
5
May
6
May
7
May
8
May
9
May
10
May
12
May
13
May
14
May
15
May
16
May
17
May
19
May
20
May
21
May
22
May
23
May
Global Adolescent Health
Context
The Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing released its concluding report, warning that insufficient investment and poorly targeted funding threaten the future of adolescent health globally. It projects alarming trends by 2030, including a surge in mental health disorders, obesity, and the number of adolescents living in multi-burden countries, highlighting an urgent need for focused global policy and financial action.
Global Adolescent Health
- Underinvestment in Adolescent Health: The report highlights that global funding for adolescent health and wellbeing is grossly insufficient and disproportionate to the size and complexity of challenges faced by this group.
- Adolescent Population Share: Adolescents (ages 10–24) represent approximately 2% of the global population, yet they receive only 2.4% of total development assistance for health (2016–2021).
- Multi-Burden Countries Projection by 2030: Without enhanced investment, at least 1 billion adolescents will be living in “multi-burden countries” by 2030—characterised by excessive and complex disease burdens.
- Rise in Obesity Among Adolescents: By 2030, 464 million adolescents globally are projected to be overweight or obese, a significant rise of 143 million from 2015 levels.
- Mental Health Burden: The report projects a loss of 42 million years of healthy life to mental disorders and suicide by 2030, which is 2 million years more than the 2015 figure.
- Insufficient Targeting: Not only is funding inadequate, but it is also poorly targeted, failing to reach adolescents in countries with the most urgent needs or highest disease burdens.
- Lancet Commission's Call to Action: The Commission urges greater and more strategic investment in adolescent health as a critical development priority, essential for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
More Articles
Courses
Study
Notes
Home
Resources
More
