Witten/Herdecke University publishes comprehensive study on the health and well-being of young people in Witten

What about the health of young people in Witten? The "Gesunde Jugend Witten" (GeJuWIT) study conducted by Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) has analysed this question comprehensively for the first time; the results have now been published.

649 tenth-graders completed online questionnaires and gave an insight into their personal well-being. The results show that children and young people from low-income backgrounds often live in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, which leads to multiple health risks - from pollutants, noise and a lack of green spaces. This can have a negative impact on physical activity and mental health.

Unhealthy eating habits and too little physical activity

Another important aspect is health behaviour: According to the study, many young people have unhealthy eating habits and are not physically active enough. 50.4% of respondents stated that they did not eat breakfast before school and only 18.2% achieved the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended physical activity of 60 minutes per day. Reasons for this include a lack of exercise areas, such as sports grounds in the immediate vicinity, and a feeling of insecurity in places such as bus stops, train stations or city centres.

Further analysis of the results in order to derive concrete measures

Heike Bergemann, project manager at the Institute for General Medicine and Outpatient Healthcare (iamag) at Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H), emphasises the importance of the study: "The results of our study provide important insights into how we can improve the health and well-being of children and young people in Witten. It is crucial to take preventative measures at an early stage and promote healthy lifestyles in order to strengthen the resilience of the younger generation." The next step is to develop these preventative measures based on the data obtained.

For example, the scientists are currently planning another sub-project at two comprehensive schools in Witten, which aims to sensitise pupils to positive health. Positive health is a concept that aims to improve general well-being and quality of life rather than just treat or prevent illness. Through active and participatory dialogue, children and young people learn to talk about health issues and make their own decisions about health-promoting behaviour.

The "Healthy Youth Witten" study is part of the joint project "Healthy City of Witten" (GeWIT), which was launched in 2019 by Witten/Herdecke University and the city of Witten with the aim of improving the structures and networking in health promotion and prevention in Witten. GeWIT was recently presented at the annual conference of the Healthy Cities Network. The participants particularly emphasised the project's data-based approach.