10% of all boys and 18% of girls in Wales in 2023 were classified as a problematic user of social media.
Girls from low (21%) and middle (19%) affluence households were more likely to be classified as problematic users than those from high affluence households (16%).
Over 1 in 5 girls (21%) in Year 9 and Year 10 were classified as problematic users of social media, double that of boys (10%) in the same year groups in 2023.
Emotional Health (frequency of ailments)
More than half of girls (54%) in Wales reported experiencing feelings of low mood, irritability, nervousness, or trouble getting to sleep, while only about one-third of boys (32%) reported the same issues.
Girls in lower affluence households (61%) were more likely to experience the above than those from higher affluence households (49%).
In Wales, girls were twice as likely to feel nervous (46%) than boys (23%). Girls were also more likely to experience low mood (40%) compared to boys (22%).
E-cigarettes/ Vaping
There was a rise in students who had tried vaping - 26% of all students tried vaping in 2023, up from 20% in 2021.
Over half of Year 11 girls (50%) had tried vaping in 2023 which was nearly double the national average in Wales for that year (26%).
When all students were asked about the frequency of their vaping, Year 11 girls reported the highest weekly (19%) and daily (14%) use compared to all other year groups and genders. This was significantly higher than the weekly (7%) and daily (5%) average for Wales.
Gambling
Boys were more likely to spend their own money on gambling compared to girls. 14% of boys reported spending their own money on gambling in the last 7 days compared to just 8% of girls.
Boys showed increased gambling behaviours with increasing age with 19% of boys gambling at age 16. This trend was not seen in girls with gambling staying around 8% for all ages.
Physical activity and exercise
In 2023, the percentage of children meeting physical activity guidelines has risen back to levels last seen in 2017 with 23% reported in boys and 14% in girls. Although welcome, this means a large majority of children are still not meeting recommended levels.
Physical activity tends to decline with age/school year.
In 2023, the percentage of children living in high affluence households taking part in vigorous exercise outside of school time at least 4 times a week was 45%, whilst in low affluence households it was 32%.
Overall, there was a large gap between the percentage of boys versus girls taking part in exercise outside of school at 49% and 31% respectively.
Bullying
Recent trends show a rise in bullying among younger people
In 2021“Bullying others” was 15%, compared to 19% in 2023.
Reports of “Been bullied” was 32% in 2021 and increased to 38% in 2023.
Cyberbullying was reported at 18% in 2021, compared to 21% in 2023.
This coincides with a growing sense of social isolation, as fewer young people feel they can rely on their friends, with only 61% in 2023 reporting they could, compared with 67% in 2017.
Mental wellbeing
There is an upward trend between 2019 and 2023 in higher scores within the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) which measures psychological problems and strengths, with notable differences between gender. A higher overall score indicates poorer mental health.
In 2023, 42% of females scored high or very high compared to 27% of males. Females in years 9 and 10 exhibit the highest scores across all year groups.
Fruit and Veg
The inequality gap between students reporting to eat at least one portion of fruit or veg per day by family affluence scale is widening over time. In 2023, 53% of students from high affluence families report eating at least one portion of fruit or veg per day compared with 36% from low affluence families.
There is an overall trend in younger year groups reporting a higher percentage of fruit or veg intake compared to older year groups. In 2023, 50% of year 7’s report eating one portion compared with 44% of year 11’s.
School life
There is an upward trend, particularly for girls feeling a lot of pressure from schoolwork in Wales. In 2017, 28% reported experiencing this pressure, rising to 36% in 2023.
Students who feel unhappy, worried or unable to cope report a decline in support at school throughout the years. In 2017, 73% of students reporting they had school support, falling to 59% in 2023.