“Today CDC released new data highlighting recent improvements in mental health and dietary behaviors among U.S. high school students. Today's new report, Youth Health in Focus, provides a snapshot of the health and well-being of high school students.
The report describes national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data from 2023 to 2025, as well as 10-year trends from 2015 to 2025. Data are presented across five focus areas: dietary behaviors, physical activity, sleep, digital behaviors, and mental health and suicide risk.
Key improvements from 2023 to 2025 include:
- Many of the mental health and suicide risk indicators improved, including persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, which improved from 40% to 33%; poor mental health, which improved from 29% to 23%; and seriously considering suicide, which improved from 20% to 14%
- Daily fruit consumption rose from 33% to 39%, daily vegetable consumption rose from 58% to 63%, and the share of students drinking plain water at least three times a day rose from 54% to 58%.
- Regarding improvements in youth physical activity, more students played on a sports team (52% to 58%).”
From CDC.
