Amid a quiet storm of statistics revealing that only 24% of teens get enough daily activity, 76% are sleep-deprived, and over 40% feel persistently sad, our teenagers are navigating a health and wellness crisis largely unseen.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, 19.7% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 years had obesity, defined as BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex
- Among U.S. high school students in 2021, 57% consumed fruit less than 2 times per day and 59% consumed vegetables less than 2 times per day on average
- In 2023, only 24% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 met the recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
- In 2023, 20.1% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year
- 42.3% of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, up from 28% in 2011
- Suicide was the second leading cause of death among 10-14 year olds and third among 15-24 year olds in 2022
- In 2022, 85% of U.S. public high school students graduated on time
- 52% of 8th graders were proficient in reading on NAEP in 2022, down from 67% pre-pandemic
- 26% of 12th graders scored at or above proficient in math on NAEP 2022
- In 2021, 15% of U.S. high school students were bullied on school property
- 30% of high school students had ever used marijuana in 2021
- 14% of teens aged 14-17 had sex before age 15 in 2019
- In 2023, 95% of U.S. teens aged 13-17 used YouTube daily or weekly
- 63% of teens aged 13-17 used TikTok almost constantly or several times a day in 2023
- 58% of teens have smartphones with internet access always on in 2023
Many American teens face concerning physical and mental health challenges today.
Education and Academics
- In 2022, 85% of U.S. public high school students graduated on time
- 52% of 8th graders were proficient in reading on NAEP in 2022, down from 67% pre-pandemic
- 26% of 12th graders scored at or above proficient in math on NAEP 2022
- Chronic absenteeism affected 28.5% of students in grades 6-12 in 2021-22
- 41% of low-income high school students dropped out vs. 8% of high-income in 2022
- 15% of public school students aged 12-18 were bullied weekly in 2021
- AP participation among high school graduates rose to 11% in 2022
- 64% of Asian/Pacific Islander students proficient in reading vs. 34% Black students in 2022 NAEP
- 22 million students aged 12-18 attend public schools with average class size 24 in 2022
- 81% of high school seniors planned postsecondary education in 2022
- Math scores for 8th graders dropped 8 points on NAEP from 2019 to 2022
- 14% of students aged 12-18 feared attack at school in 2021
- CTE enrollment in high school reached 8.3 million students in 2021-22
- 36% of 12th graders below basic in reading on NAEP 2022
- Homeschooling among 12-18 year olds increased to 3.7 million in 2022-23
- 75% of schools offered at least one AP course in 2022
- Reading proficiency for 12th graders at 31% on NAEP 2022
- 48% of high school students took Algebra II by 2019
- Suspension rates for boys 14% vs. 5% for girls in grades 6-12 in 2020-21
- 12% of gifted students identified among 12-18 year olds in public schools 2022
- 67% of 8th grade girls below proficient in math NAEP 2022
- Extracurricular participation 82% among high school students in 2022
- 29% chronic absenteeism in urban districts for grades 9-12 in 2021-22
- 55% of high schoolers met computer science standards in 2022
- 19% of students aged 12-18 reported cyberbullying in 2021
Education and Academics Interpretation
While the front door of American high schools proudly proclaims "Most Students Graduate On Time," a sobering peek inside reveals a deeply fractured house where chronic absenteeism, plummeting math scores, and vast racial and economic divides in proficiency suggest we're handing out diplomas for a foundation that's crumbling.
Mental Health
- In 2023, 20.1% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year
- 42.3% of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, up from 28% in 2011
- Suicide was the second leading cause of death among 10-14 year olds and third among 15-24 year olds in 2022
- 37% of high school girls and 29% of boys seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021
- 22% of youth aged 12-17 had severe major depressive disorder in 2023
- 32.7% of adolescents experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year in 2022
- In 2021, 10% of high school students attempted suicide, with 14% of girls vs. 7% of boys
- 57.5% of LGBTQ+ teens seriously considered suicide in the past year in 2022
- 18.8% of U.S. youth aged 12-17 had a substance use disorder with co-occurring mental illness in 2021
- 35% of teen girls aged 12-17 had a mental health disorder in 2023
- In 2022, 1 in 5 adolescents aged 12-17 received mental health treatment
- 48% of high school students reported poor mental health in the past 30 days in 2021
- Self-harm rates among teens aged 10-24 increased 7.5% annually from 2009-2019
- 31% of teens aged 13-18 with depression received treatment in 2022
- In 2023, 25.6% of youth aged 12-17 had an anxiety disorder
- 16% of high school students had a suicide plan in 2021
- ADHD affected 11.4% of adolescents aged 12-17 in 2022
- 40% of teens reported emotional abuse from caregivers linked to mental health issues in 2021
- Bipolar disorder prevalence among 12-17 year olds was 2.9% in 2023
- 27.2% of girls aged 12-17 had an anxiety disorder vs. 14.9% of boys in 2022
- 13.3% of U.S. high school students missed school due to feeling unsafe in 2021
- PTSD affected 5.7% of adolescents in the past year in 2023
- 36% of teens with mental illness did not receive treatment in 2022
- OCD prevalence in 13-18 year olds was 1.5%-2.4% in 2021
- 22.4% of high school students reported frequent poor mental health in 2023
- 9% of teens aged 12-17 had co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in 2021
Mental Health Interpretation
One would hope that youth is a carefree season of exploration, yet these statistics paint a grim portrait of a generation drowning under the silent, weighty burdens of depression, anxiety, and despair, with the systems meant to support them woefully outmatched by the scale of the crisis.
Physical Health
- In 2021, 19.7% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 years had obesity, defined as BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex
- Among U.S. high school students in 2021, 57% consumed fruit less than 2 times per day and 59% consumed vegetables less than 2 times per day on average
- In 2023, only 24% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 met the recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
- 76% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 reported sleeping less than 8 hours per night on school nights in 2021
- In 2022, 15.3% of U.S. youth aged 12-17 had asthma, with higher rates among Black teens at 18.2%
- 12% of U.S. high school students in 2021 reported using tobacco products, with 8.1% vaping nicotine
- In 2020, 14.8% of adolescents aged 12-19 in the U.S. had high blood pressure
- 22% of U.S. teens aged 13-18 reported poor oral health, including cavities or gum disease, in 2022
- In 2021, 9.4% of U.S. high school students had type 2 diabetes risk factors like prediabetes
- 35% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 consumed sugar-sweetened beverages daily in 2019
- In 2023, 28% of teen girls aged 12-17 in the U.S. were underweight or at risk for eating disorders
- 41% of U.S. high school students played video or computer games 3 or more hours per school day in 2021, linked to sedentary behavior
- In 2022, 17.5% of U.S. teens aged 12-19 had eczema, with severity impacting daily activities for 6.1%
- 8.2% of U.S. adolescents reported binge eating in the past year in 2021
- In 2020, only 14% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 participated in daily PE classes
- 24.2% of Hispanic teens aged 12-19 had obesity rates higher than non-Hispanic white teens at 15.3% in 2021
- In 2023, 31% of U.S. high school boys reported no muscle-strengthening activities on 3+ days/week
- 55% of teen girls aged 12-17 reported inadequate calcium intake for bone health in 2022
- In 2021, 10.5% of U.S. adolescents had iron deficiency anemia
- 29% of U.S. teens aged 13-18 skipped breakfast daily in 2020
- In 2022, 16.1% of Black teens had obesity compared to 12.6% of white teens aged 12-19
- 42% of U.S. high school students consumed fast food daily in 2021
- In 2023, 20% of teens aged 12-17 reported chronic headaches linked to poor sleep
- 7.8% of U.S. adolescents had diagnosed hypertension in 2020
- In 2021, 33% of teen athletes aged 13-18 sustained sports injuries requiring medical attention
- 25.4% of Asian American teens had lower obesity rates than other groups in 2021
- In 2022, 11% of U.S. high school students had three or more chronic health conditions
- 48% of teens aged 12-17 drank soda daily in 2019
- In 2023, 22.5% of U.S. adolescents reported vision problems not corrected by glasses
- 18% of teen girls aged 13-18 experienced menstrual irregularities in 2022
Physical Health Interpretation
The portrait of American teen health is a concerning collage of missed meals, sleepless nights, excessive screen time, and nutritional gaps, painting a picture of a generation being quietly, statistically, undermined by their daily habits.
Social and Behavioral
- In 2021, 15% of U.S. high school students were bullied on school property
- 30% of high school students had ever used marijuana in 2021
- 14% of teens aged 14-17 had sex before age 15 in 2019
- 20% of high school girls experienced physical dating violence in 2021
- 8% of students carried a weapon on school property in 2021
- 11% of high school students smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days in 2021
- 25% of teens aged 12-17 lived in single-parent households in 2022
- 7% of high school students had injected drugs in their lifetime in 2021
- 16% of students felt unsafe at school monthly in 2021
- 22% of high school boys were in physical fights in the past year in 2021
- 35% of teens reported electronic bullying in 2021
- 4% of high school students had 4+ sexual partners in past 3 months in 2021
- 19% of youth experienced family violence in 2022
- 12% of teens vaped frequently (20+ days/month) in 2021
- 28% of high school students drank alcohol 3+ days in past month in 2021
- 10% of students skipped school due to safety concerns weekly in 2021
- 23% of girls experienced sexual dating violence in 2021
- 5% of teens misued prescription opioids in past year in 2022
- 17% of high school students were obese and faced stigma in 2021
- 9% carried guns on school property in past year 2021
- 31% of LGBTQ+ teens faced bullying vs. 19% straight peers in 2022
- 6% of students had forced sex experiences by 2021 YRBS
- 15% binge drank (5+ drinks) in past month among high schoolers 2021
- 21% of teens in foster care experienced homelessness risk in 2022
Social and Behavioral Interpretation
The portrait of American adolescence is one where the classic struggle for identity and safety now plays out on a precarious stage, with a troubling number of young people navigating school hallways feeling more like combat zones, digital spaces that amplify cruelty, and home lives where stability is often a statistic they don't belong to, all while self-medicating with substances and risky behaviors at rates that suggest we are failing a significant portion of a generation.
Technology and Media Use
- In 2023, 95% of U.S. teens aged 13-17 used YouTube daily or weekly
- 63% of teens aged 13-17 used TikTok almost constantly or several times a day in 2023
- 58% of teens have smartphones with internet access always on in 2023
- 46% of teens aged 13-17 used Instagram several times daily in 2023
- Average teen screen time non-school was 8.39 hours/day for ages 13-18 in 2023
- 67% of teens used Snapchat several times a day in 2023
- 16% of teens were online almost constantly in 2023, up from 13% in 2022
- 93% of teens have access to a computer at home in 2023
- Girls were more likely than boys to use TikTok (68% vs. 58%) several times daily in 2023
- 32% of teens used social media almost constantly, with Black teens at 44% in 2023
- 85% of teens used YouTube, 59% TikTok, 51% Instagram as top platforms in 2023
- 72% of teens played video games, 24% almost constantly in 2023
- 89% of teens aged 13-17 used social media in 2023
- Teens spent 4.8 hours/day on social media in 2023 per Common Sense
- 19% of teens worried about too much social media time daily in 2023
- 97% of teens play video games on some device in 2023
- Black teens 76% use TikTok several times daily vs. 58% white in 2023
- 53% of teens used Snapchat, 51% Instagram in 2023
- 1 in 6 teens used nearly all 8 major platforms in 2023
- Boys more likely to play video games almost constantly (28% vs. 20% girls) 2023
- 75% of teens read long-form news online weekly, often via social media 2023
- 62% of teens got news from TikTok in 2023
- Average daily video streaming for teens 13-18 was 2.6 hours in 2023
- 40% of teens felt overwhelmed by social media notifications daily 2023
- 82% of teens have smartphone by age 12-13 in 2023
Technology and Media Use Interpretation
It appears the modern teen is a media-savvy, perpetually connected, and slightly overwhelmed digital native whose job is to curate an online presence across eight different platforms, a job for which they are paid exclusively in notifications and algorithmic dopamine.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 2NIMHnimh.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 3SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 4THETREVORPROJECTthetrevorproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 5KFFkff.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NCESnces.ed.govVisit source
- Reference 7CHILDSTATSchildstats.govVisit source
- Reference 8GLSENglsen.orgVisit source
- Reference 9CHILDWELFAREchildwelfare.govVisit source
- Reference 10PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 11COMMONSENSEMEDIAcommonsensemedia.orgVisit source