The rate of injury deaths among teen aged 15 to 19 decreased from 49.7 per 100,000 population in 1991, to 42.4 in 1995. About 15 per cent of young people aged 20 to 24 are overweight, although twice that proportion of young women think they are overweight. More young Canadians are volunteering their time. Between 1987 and 1997, the youth volunteer rate nearly doubled from 18 to 33 per cent. 12 to 24 say they have someone they can confide in and count on.
Young women are more likely to have high levels of social support than are young men.
Youth crime rates dropped for the sixth consecutive year. For the second consecutive year, charges against youth for violent crimes dropped. Bullying among children is a serious concern. New data indicate that one in seven Canadian boys between four and 11 bully other children, and about one in 11 girls do so. The number of missing children increased by almost 2,000 in 1997.