How Healthy is our Young Population

The national youth policy in India classifies youth as individuals between the ages of 15-29 years. This section accounts for nearly 29% of the country’s population. Indicators on education, employment, access to infrastructure and economic empowerment have been at the centre of youth-related issues. Health rarely does the discourse concern itself with the youth. The focus of public health on young people is reflected largely in deliberations around drug abuse, alcohol and tobacco consumption and the growing burden of suicides and road traffic accidents. Youth is accompanied by physical, mental and cognitive transitions. Today’s youth is facing strains and pressures starkly different from their previous generations. The threat of infectious diseases looms large, coupled with health-concerns brought on due to sedentary and stressful lifestyles. Moreover, migration and economic challenges have further added to the disease burden. The well-being of the young population is moulded by societal context, including gender and social values. In India, there is a higher proportion of young people in the population, and hence a disproportionately high burden of youth-related health problems is inevitable, coupled with a greater resource challenge