Spiritual dimension of health: an ignored aspect of adolescent care and parenting

Abstract

Are we not disturbed that more and more adolescents are getting involved in negative lifestyles like drug use, too much of fast foods, very less physical activity leading to poor health outcomes? “22% Rohilkhand teens may become impotent” say a Times of India article dated 11^th Jan,2016. The article says that hormonal imbalance, adulterated food, depression and watching too much porn in formative years are reasons behind this. “Even 9 years old are taking drugs: Report”- another glaring headline in Times of India on 20^th Jan, 2015 this article highlights following – 20% of child and adolescent population have mental illnesses; substance use rate of 40% - 88% reported in various studies on street children in different metros. Among students of rural Tamil Nadu, 10% of children were found to be hypertensive (1).

In a study in Dehradun it was found that 24% of unmarried girls had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which is also a lifestyle disease (2). Moreover, there were recent headlines in past couple of years showing that children as young as 10-12 years are indulging in serious crimes like shooting/stabbing/raping, etc.