Report on adolescent health records calls for more investments and laws, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• The Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing warns that by 2030, nearly 1 billion adolescents will live in multi-burden countries.
• Projects 464 million adolescents will be overweight and 42 million years of healthy life lost due to mental health issues.
• Highlights chronic underfunding of adolescent health: only 2.4% of global health development assistance was allocated for adolescents (2016–2021).
• Calls for more laws, policies, and investments to support adolescent health, especially in the digital age.

Detailed Insights:

The Challenge:

• Adolescents (10–19 years) now form 24% of the global population.
• The current cohort is the largest adolescent generation in history.
• Despite progress:
  • Investment is grossly inadequate.
  • Mental health disorders and obesity are rising.
  • Conflict zones house 340 million adolescents—double since the 1990s.

Recommendations by the Commission:

1. Targeted Investment
   • Only 2.4% of global health assistance was for adolescents despite them being 25.2% of population.
   • Urges more equitable funding aligned to need, especially in LMICs.
2. Legislative & Policy Measures
   • Calls for "enabling laws" that:
     • Protect sexual and reproductive rights
     • Address commercial determinants (e.g. processed food, tobacco, digital addiction)
     • Ensure healthy digital environments
3. Digital Impact & Youth Connectivity
   • 79% of 15–24-year-olds use the Internet globally.
   • Over 95% of adolescents in HIC and UMIC are digitally connected.
   • This is the “first digital-native generation”; hence, digital literacy, safety, and regulation are essential.
4. Focus on Girls' Education and Gender Equity
   • Reduction in adolescent mortality (by 27%) attributed to:
     • Better education access
     • Nutrition and disease control
     • Emphasizes continuation of these trends for gender equality.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Years of Healthy Life Lost (YLD): A metric for burden of disease due to illness or disability.
• Commercial Determinants of Health: Economic and marketing factors (e.g. junk food, alcohol, social media platforms) that influence health negatively.

Significance:

• With India having over 253 million adolescents, the findings hold direct policy relevance.
• India's National Youth Policy 2014 and National Health Policy 2017 need alignment with these global insights.
• Investing in this age group means long-term demographic dividends, sustainable development, and stronger human capital.

Mains Mock Question:

Despite forming nearly a quarter of the global population, adolescents remain underrepresented in health policies and investments. Discuss the implications of this gap and suggest how India can address adolescent well-being in the context of demographic dividend.