Daily Times

British youngsters have among the lowest levels of mental well-being globally, according to a major report.

It suggests that the nation’s youngsters are less likely to feel optimistic, loved, confident and generally content than their peers in many other countries, including Indonesia, India, Germany, France and South Korea.

The study of 20 countries also indicates that many UK young people do not feel they get enough rest and exercise, compared to many of their international counterparts.

And it reveals that when it comes to fears and worries for the future, the greatest concerns of those in the UK are extremism and global terrorism.

The report, published by the Varkey Foundation, an education charity, is based on a poll of more than 20,000 people from the participating countries, born between 1995 and 2001.

It places the UK 19th out of 20 nations for mental well-being, with a score of 47.3.

Only Japan scored lower, with Indonesia topping the table, followed by India, then Nigeria, Israel and China.

The score is based on young people’s views on 14 different areas, such as optimism about the future, feeling loved and good about themselves, feeling confident and cheerful.

Just 15 percent of the UK youngsters who took part said they have good physical well-being, meaning that they get enough sleep, regular exercise and time for rest and reflection.

This is the same proportion as number of other countries, including Australia.

Nigeria scored the highest for this measure at 41 percent, followed by India at 24 percent.

The report reveals that generally, more than two thirds of young people in the UK – 67 percent – think that the country is a good place to live – higher than nations including France, Israel and the United States.

Around 46 percent of the UK youngsters questioned said they have this view because the UK is “a free country where I have the freedom to live the way I want to”.

Young people were also asked for their views about global issues such as immigration, with UK youngsters split on the matter.

While 31 percent said it should be made easier for immigrants to live and work legally in the UK, 26 percent said the government should make it more difficult.

In comparison, 38 percent of those in Italy and 37 percent of those in Germany think that legal migration should be easier, along with 27 percent of those in France.

Extremism and the rise of global terrorism make UK young people more fearful for the future than other issues – this was the top concern for 13 countries.

The findings also show that in general, young people worldwide support values such as tolerance and equality.

Varkey Foundation Chief Executive Vikas Pota, said, “At a time of nationalist and populist movements that focus on the differences between people, the evidence shows that young people – whatever their nationality or religion – share a strikingly similar view of the world. Teenagers in Nigeria, New Delhi and New York share many of same priorities, fears, ambitions and opinions. There is far more unity among young people than a glance at the headlines would suggest.”