Health and well-being measures for children: September 2013 to August 2014

1. The percentage of children who have fewer than two healthy lifestyles behaviours (not smoking, eat five fruit/ vegetables daily, never/rarely drink and meet the physical activity guidelines) taken from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey.
2. The mean mental well-being score for children taken from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (information from the Understanding Society survey).

Main Points

• In 2013/14 12% of pupils in year group 7 to 11 reported fewer than two healthy lifestyle behaviours. This includes 10% who followed one healthy lifestyle behaviour and 2% who followed none. 
• The most common number of healthy behaviours was two with 46% of pupils reporting two healthy lifestyle behaviours. 
• 7% reported all four healthy lifestyle behaviours.
• The mean SDQ score for Wales was 10.9 in 2013/14. This sits within the ‘average or normal’ total difficulties score. There has been little change since 2009/10.
• The Wales total difficulties score was not significantly different from the UK average.