The Northwestern Health Unit says it finds some encouraging trends emerging from its latest student health survey.
It finds that fewer youth in the Kenora and Rainy River districts are using cannabis, binge drinking and smoking.
Students also report having stronger connections to their schools, with nearly seven in ten students (69%) feeling they are part of their school community.
This is up from 65% noted in last year’s survey and 6% higher than three years ago.
A large number of students are also physically active.
The Health Unit says three-quarters of students (75%) report meeting the national recommendation of at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
This is up 3% from last year, and slightly above the Ontario average.
Students are mixed when it comes to their mental health.
Fifty-five percent rate their mental health as good or better, an increase from 46% three years ago.
However, 39% report being nervous, anxious or on edge most days in the previous two weeks, and 35% feel lonely most days in the past week.
Vaping remains a concern. More than one in four students (26%) report vaping in the past 30 days, more than double the Ontario average.
Many students also report using substances alone or to cope, with nearly half (49%) turning to vaping.
The Health Unit also finds screen time and healthy eating as ongoing challenges.
Only 3% of students who completed the survey met the national recommendation of two hours or less of recreational screen time per day.
Twenty-nine percent reported eating breakfast every day, while just 40% or less eat vegetables and fruit on a daily basis.
Just 57% of all youth took part in the voluntary survey.
The Health Unit is hoping to have greater participation in the future.
It says it will be working with schools in the future to reinforce the importance of the survey and encourage participation.
It says higher response rates reflect a more accurate picture of student experiences and help identify areas where programming should be focused.
