Javier Sayavera

By 2030, there will be more than 1 billion adolescents (aged 10 to 24) living in countries facing preventable and treatable health issues. This figure represents half of the world’s adolescent population, according to a new analysis by the Lancet Commission on adolescent health and well-being. Among these health issues, the study highlights HIV/AIDS, early pregnancies, risky sexual behavior, depression, poor nutrition, and injuries.

The work of a global commission, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology and endorsed by more than 75 medical organisations worldwide, presents a new approach to diagnosing obesity. This is based on other measures of excess body fat, in addition to body mass index (BMI), and on objective signs and symptoms of poor health at the individual level.

A study published in the journal PLOS ONE, which includes data from over 3,000 Spanish adolescents and children, has shown that those living in more walkable areas report spending more minutes per day engaging in active transportation compared to those from less walkable neighborhoods. Along those lines, the lowest average minutes spent playing outdoors are observed among participants from neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status and less walkability. The research is part of the PASOS study, coordinated by the Gasol Foundation.