Youth health survey flags obesity, vaping, mental strain |19 September 2026
Photos: Kurtrine Albert
Youth health survey flags obesity, vaping, mental strain
New findings from the 2025 Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) reveal significant health and behavioural challenges among young people in Seychelles – from rising vaping and poor diets to concerns over mental health, physical activity and sexual health.
The data shows a shifting youth health landscape: more than one‑third of students are overweight or obese, only a quarter meet recommended levels of physical activity, and vaping has become considerably more common than cigarette smoking.
These results, presented yesterday by researcher Bharathi Viswanathan, form part of the Seychelles GSHS 2025, a standardised international survey developed by the WHO, Unicef, Unesco and the World Bank. The latest survey provides a 10‑year benchmark following the 2015 assessment. Although referred to as GSHS 2025, data collection was carried out between March and July 2026.
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