Risk Behaviour in Adolescence (PDF)

HBSC data showed that there are large differences in the diffusion of risk behaviours between countries. Compared to other countries, Germany performs rather badly in respect to many risk behaviours.

One-third of 15-year old German students smoked weekly – as many as in no other European or North American country. Germany is also among the five countries that showed the highest regular alcohol use and the highest rates of bullying. Furthermore, the international comparison showed there was a relatively low level of physical activity. Despite the large differences in prevalence across countries, the findings showed that age and gender patterns are largely universal across countries. Age-related trends in risk behaviour were found in almost all HBSC countries and are similar for a variety of different types of behaviour.

It appears that these shifts are a universal phenomenon and demonstrate just how common it is for young people to engage in such behaviours. The general gender patterns in risk behaviour were also supported by international HBSC data. In almost all HBSC countries boys show higher prevalences of externalising and/or evasive forms of inappropriate coping behaviour. Interestingly, gender differences in tobacco smoking were generally lower than for other substance use behaviours. In some countries, mostly western European countries, girls also reported higher rates of smoking than boys. On the other hand, girls were more likely to report that they frequently consume healthy food and are less likely to consume unhealthy food (see also Currie et al. 2008a).

However, in all countries they were more likely to skip breakfast and were physically less active. These findings illustrate that there are different issues of concern for girls and boys. The trend data from Northrhine-Westphalia suggested that these age and gender patterns also show a strong persistence over time (see also Leppin & Richter 2008, Settertobulte & Richter 2007). The findings are similar to the results of other German studies. For example, the German Drug Affinity Study also found that the rates of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use among 11-to 15-year olds increased during the 1990s and decreased again after 2002 (BZgA 2004, 2005a/b, 2007a).