Adolescence is the phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from 10 to 19 years. It is a unique stage of human development and an important time for laying the foundations of good health.
Adolescents experience rapid physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth. This affects how they feel, think, make decisions, and interact with the world around them.
Despite being thought of as a healthy stage of life, there is significant death, illness and injury in the adolescent years with much of this being preventable or treatable. During this phase, adolescents establish patterns of behavior – for instance, related to diet, physical activity, substance use, and sexual activity – that can protect their health and the health of others around them, or put their health at risk now and in the future.
