Addressing the socioeconomic determinants of healthy eating habits and physical activity levels among adolescents

Poorer adolescents are less healthy than more affluent ones, according to a recent Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC) survey. With the added urgency of a marked rise in child and adolescent obesity in Europe, the WHO/HBSC Forum 2006 was held to look at the socioeconomic determinants of healthy eating habits and physical activity levels among adolescents.

This is the first of a series of such forums planned to help countries integrate measures to address the socioeconomic determinants of health into policies and interventions promoting young people's health. The forums will review the latest emerging evidence and synthesize lessons learnt in policy design and implementation.

This report highlights case studies and survey data presented at the Forum 2006, and summarizes the Forum's main conclusions as to what the issues are and how policy-makers can tackle them.