'Healthy living too expensive for teens' - study

Teenagers in Surrey face barriers to living a healthy lifestyle including run down facilities and the cost of nutritious foods, according to a study.

University of Surrey researchers found the cost of sports clubs, equipment, healthy food and transport are among the issues for young people, even in affluent areas of the county.

The study also found that teenage girls continue to see sexism, including being ridiculed for their appearance and labelled negatively for playing sports traditionally seen as "for boys", as another roadblock to exercising.

Dr Helen Lambert, senior lecturer in public health nutrition, said the research "highlights systemic issues beyond individual choices".

The study, called understanding barriers to health behaviours in 13–17-year-olds: A whole systems approach in the context of obesity, was funded by Surrey County Council and published in journal Nutrients.

It featured 27 participants aged between 12 and 16 and interviewed a further 35 people working in either education or youth support.

It found that young people often saw healthy food options in schools as too expensive, instead opting for cheaper, less nutritious options.

Young people said school meals "aren't very healthy" and "really overpriced" compared to options such as supermarket meal deals.

In less affluent areas of Surrey, sports facilities were also often found to be "run-down or non-existent", limiting opportunities for participation.

People working with young people said there was a lack of training to help young people with weight management or specialist help with exercise.

Professor Jane Ogden, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Surrey, said: "We can't simply tell teenagers to 'eat better and exercise more' - there are significant, structural issues that need to be addressed at both a community and societal level.

"By spotlighting these barriers, we can start creating a fairer and more supportive environment that will help young people in Surrey access healthier choices and have an opportunity to thrive."

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