In the 1950s young couples were four times more likely to marry than they are today, and the mean age at which people marry has steadily risen since 1971, from 24 to 30 for men, and 22 to 28 for women. Concerns about body image among young women are also borne out. By contrast, more than half of all boys said they were the right weight. The study reveals a marked difference in the experiences and attitudes of boys and girls in relation to health, sex and education. The most commonly used drug is cannabis, followed by amphetamines and ecstasy.
Cocaine use is much lower than in older age groups, where drug use as a whole is less prevalent.
Educationally girls perform better than their male counterparts.