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"Lazy" Albanian teenagers eat well, but 75% lead sedentary lives

2025-12-01 07:20:00, Aktualitet CNA

The health and lifestyle of today's adolescents is very important to measure the quality of human capital in the next decade.

A World Health Organization report shows that Albanian children and adolescents consume more fruits and vegetables than their European peers, but they also drink much more sugary drinks and are much less physically active compared to other European countries.

The percentage of children who do not consume fruits or vegetables every day is much lower than the European average, which indicates that the eating habits of Albanian children are somewhat healthier.

Even in terms of overweight and obesity in children aged 6–9, Albania ranks among the countries with the lowest percentage, around 20%, while the average for the WHO region in Europe is close to 40%. These data show a relatively positive situation compared to many other European countries.

On the other hand, the indicator for physical activity remains problematic. About three-quarters of Albanian children are physically inactive, a level similar to the European average, but far from the countries that perform better in this regard. The consumption of carbonated drinks is also somewhat higher than in more developed countries.

These data suggest that, while nutrition is relatively good, lifestyles still remain sedentary for a large proportion of children.

The use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes among Albanian adolescents is very low, below 10%, compared to levels of 20–40% in most other European countries.

Alcohol consumption is also significantly more limited – very few adolescents report having consumed alcohol, being drunk ever or in the last 30 days. In these indicators, Albania stands out positively, ranking among the safest countries in terms of risky behaviors for young people.

Our country ranks very well in terms of eating habits, obesity levels, and especially tobacco and alcohol consumption among adolescents, compared to Europe.

However, a significant challenge remains the lack of physical activity and a still high tendency to consume carbonated drinks.

Public funding for child and adolescent health remains limited in our country. Only 9.2% of total public spending is dedicated to health, compared to around 15% in the EU average./ Monitor