A study examining the habits of adolescents aged 13 to 17 in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay found that Brazilian teens had the highest prevalence of alcohol intoxication (47% of respondents) but the lowest rates of smoking. They were also the least likely to have used a condom during their last sexual encounter (59%), with the cited reasons including a low perceived risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, trust in their partner, and lack of access to condoms, despite the fact that they are provided free of charge at public health centers. Argentine teenagers experimented with alcohol at the earliest ages (66% before the age of 14), Uruguayan teens were more likely to drink heavily (55%), and Paraguayans reported the lowest frequency of sexual activity. In all four countries, sedentary behavior—a risk factor for heart disease—was common, reaching as high as 62% in Uruguay. The conclusions are based on 2015 and 2019 data from Brazil’s National School-based Health Survey and 2017 to 2019 data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) for the other countries. The researchers behind the study, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, stressed the need to promote healthy habits among teenagers to prevent diseases in adulthood (Saúde em Debate, December).
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