In order to understand adolescent health behaviours, you have to first understand how the adolescent brain functions. With that understanding, you can better appreciate the rationale behind the social choices that adolescents make.
In this next video, we look at the intriguing similarities between the processes of brain development and computer programming. This analogy helps us understand why toxic environmental factors like drugs, bullying, or negative health behaviours can have such a long-lasting impact on an adolescent's life; and can be used instead to empower them with the information they need to make better decisions. A lot of adolescent social and health behaviours are caused by strong biological influence. Having said that there are also psychological and social factors that have equal influence over their behaviours as well. Once again, remember that the youth today who are healthy adolescents now, will grow up to be healthy adults in the future and this will bring about future generations of healthy if not healthier individuals.