The “Student Health Service (SHS) Annual Health Report for 2023/24 School Year” was released today, indicating an improvement in primary students’ overweight condition, but the proportion of students spending two hours or more using the Internet or electronic screen products for recreational purposes has increased.
In the 2023-24 school year, around 257,000 primary students and 173,000 secondary students received annual health assessment services at the Department of Health’s Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs).
The prevalence of being overweight including obesity among primary students decreased from 19.5% in the 2022-23 school year to 16.4% in 2023-24, a record low since the 2014-15 school year.
However, the prevalence of being overweight among secondary school students remained high at 20%. In the 2023-24 school year, 94.4% of students reported insufficient physical activity, ie not being able to engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
About 89.9% of students, 83.5% primary and 97% secondary, reported an inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables per day, ie an average of less than four servings for primary school students and less than five servings for secondary school students.
Highlighting the inappropriate use of electronic screen products among students, the department recommended that children aged between six and 12 should limit recreational screen time to less than two hours a day.
According to health assessment questionnaires, 43.3% of primary students indicated that they spent two or more hours using the Internet or electronic screen products for recreational purposes on a typical school day, which is higher than in the pre-COVID years of around 30%. The products include computers, tablets, smartphones, video games and television.
For secondary students, the proportion was higher at 80.9%. The department has set up a webpage to assist parents and teachers in handling related issues.
The state of vision among the students remains less than ideal. The proportion of primary one students wearing glasses was 14.3%, similar to the 14.8% in the previous school year, but still much higher than the pre-COVID years of about 11%.
The proportion of students wearing glasses was higher among students at higher grades, up to 53.8% among primary six students. Among the students with a visual acuity test done in the 2023-24 school year, 18.5% required further assessment by SHS optometrists or the private sector due to a failed preliminary visual acuity test, other eye or visual problems.
Regarding psychosocial health, a majority of students reported that they very much enjoyed family life (94.3%) and school life (92.4%). However, some students were identified to have psychosocial problems warranting attention.
In the 2023-24 school year, 2.2% and 1% of students reported they had planned or attempted to commit suicide in the past 12 months, slightly lower than the previous school year (2.8% planned and 1.3% attempted) and similar to the levels in the 2018-19 school year.
The department’s professional staff promptly provided the students concerned with an immediate risk assessment, support or arranged referrals for further evaluation and management.
In the 2023-24 school year, 1.4% of students receiving annual health assessment services at SHSCs were referred to SHS clinical psychologists or other organisations for further assessment and management.
For more information on a healthy lifestyle, members of the public can browse the “@DH mobile application” and the department’s social media accounts.
