The 18th of every month is being proposed as YUVA Day to highlight youth wellness. Adolescents today face rising challenges—from mental health issues and poor nutrition to digital addiction and lack of life skills. It's time to chart a roadmap for a healthier, more empowered journey beyond 18.

Shahid Akhter, Editor, Healthyouonline, spoke to Dr. Himabindu Singh, Professor of Pediatrics & Neonatology, Additional Director of Medical Education, Government of Telangana, and Founder, YUVA, Hyderabad, to discuss the growing concerns among youth.The Adolescent Health Academy is working towards practical solutions through targeted interventions.



Youth Wellness at 18: A Turning Point for Change

Youth are vibrant and full of potential. It's time we address their challenges, concerns, and find meaningful solutions. Youth voices need to be captured. So, we thought of dedicating the 18th of every month — as this is the age when they become legally mature. They earn the right to drive, the right to vote, and their voice gains legal recognition.

YUVA Day - 18th 

So, we decided to make the 18th of every month a Youth Wellness Day — a day dedicated to youth. YUVA DAY

Adolescent Age: Current Challenges

Adolescence, typically defined as ages 10 to 19—and extending into youth up to 24—is a critical and challenging phase of life. It marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, a period of rapid physical, emotional, and social change. While every generation experiences this transition, today's youth face unique pressures. Unlike earlier times, they are growing up amidst intense media exposure, peer pressure, and a fast-paced digital world. With both parents often working and the decline of joint family systems, many adolescents lack consistent guidance and open communication, leaving them to navigate this complex phase largely on their own.

Lack of Communication

The youth often relies on social media for communication, which comes with its own set of challenges. Not everything they see online is healthy or helpful. During this phase, they also experience hormonal changes and emotional shifts due to puberty — reactions that are completely natural but often confusing without proper guidance.

Coping with Emotions 

The youth often struggles to cope with their emotions and lack understanding of gender respect. The rise in gender-based violence reflects a gap in awareness about sexuality and the physical and emotional changes they experience. It’s essential to address these issues and guide youth through this transformative phase with the right information and support.

Nutritional Challenges

Nutrition among today’s youth is a growing concern. On one hand, we see cases of anemia and malnutrition, while on the other, there’s a rise in obesity due to excessive consumption of junk food. Their dietary choices are alarming, compounded by increasingly sedentary lifestyles and a lack of nutritious intake. Home-cooked meals have nearly disappeared, replaced by fast food and processed snacks that are harmful to metabolic health. This nutritional imbalance can lead to serious issues like PCOS, insulin resistance, and other lifestyle-related disorders.

Mental Health Challenges 

We are witnessing a rise in anxiety, depression, and even suicidal tendencies among youth, largely because they struggle to cope with stress. Many lack essential life skills needed to navigate emotional challenges. It’s crucial that we prioritize building these skills and supporting their mental well-being.

Digital Challenges 

We can no longer avoid media and technology. With rapid advancements in digital platforms and artificial intelligence, it’s everywhere. Instead of escaping it, we must now focus on learning how to manage it—especially for the youth.

Social Media

Social media consumes a large part of their lives, leading to issues like cyberbullying and excessive screen time. These digital challenges can have serious consequences, which is why we need to talk to them about the importance of digital detox

Road Accidents 

In addition to these concerns—and even beyond the growing issue of road traffic accidents—we must also prioritize adolescent vaccinations as a key aspect of preventive health.

Adolescent Vaccinations

This is critically important—both protection and prevention are key aspects of health that must be promoted. It's time to place a stronger focus on adolescent vaccination as an essential part of youth wellness.

Adolescent Health Academy: Addressing the Youth Concerns 

I currently serve as the Chairperson of the Adolescent Health Academy, an organization supported by over 30,500 passionate pediatricians and healthcare professionals committed to adolescent and youth health. Over the years, we’ve recognized a crucial need for capacity building—because not all pediatricians are fully equipped to engage with adolescents in a youth-friendly, non-judgmental, and respectful manner.

For the past 25 years, we’ve been dedicated to building that capacity—focusing on two core areas: first, equipping pediatricians with comprehensive knowledge of adolescent issues; and second, training them in how to effectively communicate with youth—ensuring conversations are respectful, confidential, and empathetic.

This year, we’ve launched a new mission focused on youth wellness. Our goal is to bridge existing gaps by developing a nationwide pool of trained pediatricians who are prepared to address youth concerns across various settings. We began with a ‘Training of Trainers’ model, where 55 pediatricians were trained to address four to five key issues affecting adolescents today.

These trained professionals are now cascading the program across 100 cities in India. Our target is to mobilize 5,000 pediatricians who will actively engage with young people—not only in schools, but also in colleges—where they will conduct sessions designed to truly connect with youth.