‘Evolving threats’
The UN health agency noted other worrying issues for the health of children and adolescents in the region.
It said one in five adolescents suffers from a mental health condition, suicide remains the leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, and girls systematically report lower levels of mental well-being compared with boys.
“Our young people are also facing new and evolving threats,” Hans Kluge, regional director for Europe, said at the press conference.
In addition, 15 percent of teenagers say they have been victims of cyberbullying, one in 10 teenagers aged 13 to 15 use some form of tobacco product and almost one in three school-age children is overweight, with one in eight obese.
The organisation has launched a consultation with 53 member states to define its priorities and plans for the next five years.
“In our online and interconnected world, our young people are ironically feeling lonelier than ever before, with many struggling with their weight and self-confidence, setting them up for poor health as adults,” Kluge said.
“Protecting and improving child health provides dividends throughout a person’s life while reducing the cost to society.”
“This couldn’t be more crucial because for the first time ever, there are more people aged over 65 years than under 15 years in the European region,” he added.
Kluge also said he believed change was urgent, as the population of Europe is getting older, but young people’s way of life is worrying.
“The European region must be bold and innovative in its efforts to build healthier, more stable societies, but must also realise that health security is key to national and international security,” Kluge said.