French teens have fewer cavities but are more often overweight

Paris (AFP)

French teens have healthier teeth than ten years ago, but they are "more often overweight," according to a study published Wednesday by the Drees, the statistical service of social ministries.

18.2% of adolescents in grade 3 are overweight, of which more than a quarter (5.2%) are obese, concludes this health survey conducted in 2016 and 2017 among 7,200 students.

These proportions were respectively 17% and 3.8% in 2009 and 15.8% and 3.5% in 2001, recalls the Drees, pointing out that the increase is notable "especially for girls".

"Oral health is, on the other hand, a clear improvement: 68% of adolescents have teeth free from caries, against 56% in 2009," notes the statistical agency.

The young participants in the study conducted a health examination and an interview about their lifestyle and respiratory health.

Nearly one in eight adolescents (12%) reported having had wheezing in the chest in the last 12 months, which can be an indicator of asthma, up from 10% in 2009. Girls were more likely to be affected by these whistles as boys (15% vs. 9%).

In its conclusions, the Drees emphasizes the persistence of strong social inequalities.

"Thus, 24% of the children of workers are overweight and 8% are obese, compared to 12% and 3% respectively of the children of cadres.The proportion of those who have no decayed tooth amounts to 59% for the children of workers, against 77% for those of the cadres ".

Similarly, 10% of students in "priority education" colleges have non-corrected vision impairments, which is double the number of students in other schools.

"These disparities can partly be explained by lifestyle differences differentiated by social environment.Lifestyles beneficial to health are more often reported by adolescents from socially advantaged backgrounds: regular breakfast, practice of a sport, limitation of the time spent in front of the screens, recourse to the dentist ", analyzes the Drees.

For example, only one-half (52%) of high-school students in priority education report having breakfast each morning, compared to two-thirds (65%) of those in other schools.

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