Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Adolescents in Canada

Healthy living of adolescents is of great importance to people of Canada. There is need for many
factors like supportive family, thriving social relations and most importantly, feelings of safety
that prevent them from diseases, injury and help them to socialize feeling safe in the world. For
this, health promotion and disease prevention is important for the adolescents.
Health Promotion
Dietary patterns
 Health Canada Surveillance Tool Tier system, 2014 suggests that every 3 in 10
adolescents have increased energy intakes than required. There is increased consumption
of saturated fats that need to be reduced among adolescents with inadequate vitamins and
minerals consumption like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A and phosphorus.
 There is a great concern that adolescents in Canada are not meeting their daily nutrient
requirements and inadequate sodium intake associated with adverse health effects. Health
promotion is required in this area to promote healthy behaviour among them to prevent
obesity (infobase.phac-aspc.gc.ca, 2017).
Nutrient requirements
 Obesity is the main concern in Canada due to household food insecurity making
adolescents obese and prone to obesity related risks.
 According to a study conducted by Jessri, Nishi & L’Abbe, (2016) dietary patterns
among adolescents in Canada demonstrated a high prevalence of consumed food rich in
potatoes and processed meats. There is unhealthy food behaviour among the adolescents
that has severe implications on their health like obesity.

 Adolescents have low quality dietary intake with less macronutrients consumption having
suboptimal meal behaviour. Heath promotion is required to inculcate healthy food
behaviour among this age group
Stress
 Herman, Hopman & Sabiston, (2015) there is stress prevailing among Canadian youth
where around 20% youth experience 20% of moderate level of stress due to peer
pressure, disruption from family and violence.
 They also experience suicidal thoughts and lack of social connectedness with family and
seeking professional help for mental health problems.
Mental health
 Due to persisting feelings of hopelessness and stress, there is an increase in risk for
mental health problems among Canadian youth (Gariépy & Elgar, 2016).
 Substance abuse like alcohol drinking is reported among the adolescents aged 15 to 17
years that affect their mental health and highly engaged in unhealthy behaviour.
 They need to be educated about importance of mental health as physical health and
encourage them to seek mental health professionals’ help when they experience suicidal
thoughts or unable to cope up with their mental health issues.
Youth education and understanding
 Canadian youth education is important in areas of unhealthy behaviour and lifestyle,
education about mental health awareness and health safety.

 Promotion of health among young people is required that gives a foundation for the
promotion of their health and addressing of health inequities among them.
 The actions and crosscutting strategies need to be used by school leaders ad
community for strengthening protective factors, reduction of risk factors and
facilitation of access to determinants of mental health.
 This strengthening of protective factors provide greater access to the determinants
and creation of positive mental health conditions and reduction of risk-tasking
behaviour among Canadian youth.
 These five factors can be helpful in maximizing efforts through youth engagement
and encourage social inclusion.
Further education is required for the youth in the areas of mental health, healthy lifestyle
modifications and habits of living.

Guiding principles Process Outcomes Impact
Diversity-aware and
strength based health
promotion
interventions.
Anti-oppressive and
youth friendly
programs so that there
is increased youth
participation and
gender informed.
Application of
youth
promotion
strategies and
actions for the
achievement of
personal
empowerment
and social
change.
Strengthening of
protective factors,
reduction of risk
factors and greater
access to mental
health services and
social determinants
of health
Enhancement of
mental health
and reduction of
harms or
problems related
to substance
misuse among
youth.
Strategies and resources
Youth education and promotion model
Epidemiology and Statistics: Common diseases and injuries
Head injury
 In the year 2011- 2012, around 754 sports-related head injuries resulted in
hospitalizations among 5 to 19 years.