Hometown Dissatisfaction Linked to Harmful Habits in Kids

Young people who are unhappy with their roots or hometown are significantly more likely to use tobacco and alcohol, according to a new study.

The latest study involved 4,427 participants between the ages of 10 and 15. All participants were from the United Kingdom, and were asked about their health-related behaviors and levels of happiness.

The findings revealed that 20 percent of participants said that they turned to tobacco and alcohol as a result of being unhappy in their hometown or city. Study results also revealed that almost 7 percent of participants were defined as having an "abnormal psychiatry state". One in five participants also felt dissatisfied with other aspects of their life like their relationships with family, friends, school and appearance.

Participants who reported being unhappy were more likely to suffer from headaches or illnesses. They were also more likely to be antisocial, aggressive, distracted and bullied by their peers.

Researchers said that the latest findings show that dissatisfaction can make kids and young people turn to health-ruining behaviors to cope.

"Our study showed that one in five adolescents was unhappy living in their home towns and as a result turned to potentially destructive behaviors that damage their health," researcher Dr. Ivy Shiue from the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) at Heriot-Watt University, said in a news release.

"They also tended to have a negative vision of their future and found it difficult to address challenges and stresses in their lives such as going to school, applying for jobs and making new friends," she added.

"There is very strong evidence that investment in promoting mental and emotional health, wellbeing and resilience of young people in early years, can avoid health and social problems later in life. This can play a major role in how people behave in response to different and often challenging situations," Shiue explained. "People with a weak sense of self-belief avoid challenging tasks as they believe it's beyond their capabilities, focus on personal failings and have low self-esteem. Classes in wellbeing and resilience should be introduced into the school curriculum to allow these problems to be tackled early on in a child's life."

The study was published in the journal Environmental Research.