Dizziness on the Rise Among Schoolchildren in Denmark
Many adolescents have experienced dizziness—the sensation that the floor is swaying or that the surroundings are spinning. For a growing number of Danish schoolchildren, however, dizziness is not a fleeting experience. Instead, it is a recurrent condition experienced several times a week, or even daily.
This trend is documented by new data from the national survey Skolebørnsundersøgelsen, which for over four decades has monitored the health and well-being of students in 5th, 7th, and 9th grade (corresponding to ages 11, 13 and 15).
According to the survey, nearly one in five girls in grades 7 and 9 report experience dizziness either daily or several times per week. This represents a nearly threefold increase compared to the 1990s and 2000s, when approximately 7 percent of girls reported similar symptoms. Among boys, the increase is more modest—from around 5 percent in 2014 to 9 percent in 2022.
Proportion of schoolchildren experiencing dizziness daily or several times a week
Senior Researcher and Head of Research Katrine Rich Madsen from the National Institute of Public Health, who leads Skolebørnsundersøgelsen, explains that the team was struck by the magnitude and persistence of the increase.
“We were surprised by how pronounced the rise has been. Dizziness is not necessarily problematic if it is a brief or infrequent sensation. However, in this case, the children are experiencing it daily or several times a week. This is clearly cause for concern, as it may affect their everyday functioning, academic engagement, and social interactions. That is why we chose to examine what such a symptom could indicate in children and adolescents,” says Katrine Rich Madsen.
Closely Linked to Poor Mental Health and Well-Being
Dizziness is typically regarded as a somatic symptom. It may, for example, occur in response to low blood sugar, dehydration, inner ear disturbances, migraines, or head injuries such as concussions.
However, the new findings also point to a strong association between chronic dizziness and various indicators of poor mental health.
“Chronic dizziness frequently co-occurs with both physical and psychological symptoms. Children who report frequent dizziness also tend to experience loneliness, low self-esteem, poor sleep quality, and academic pressure. Additionally, they are more likely to suffer from headaches, stomachaches, and emotional challenges such as sadness, nervousness, or irritability,” Madsen explains.
Health Behaviours and Dizziness
The study further reveals that recurrent dizziness is particularly prevalent among children and adolescents who engage in unhealthy behaviours—such as skipping breakfast, sleeping insufficiently, or consuming tobacco and alcohol.
“Dizziness is often attributed to physical causes, but our findings suggest that it is also linked to children’s health-related behaviours. This makes it challenging for healthcare professionals to determine a clear diagnosis when a child presents with dizziness, as multiple factors may be involved. Regardless of whether the symptom originates from somatic illness or psychological distress, it is essential to provide appropriate support and intervention,” says Katrine Rich Madsen.
The analysis is based on responses from 40,102 students across Denmark who participated in Skolebørnsundersøgelsen. Participants were asked, among other things: “Thinking about the last six months, how often have you felt dizzy?” Those who responded “almost every day” or “more than once a week” were categorized in the study as experiencing chronic or recurrent dizziness.
Contact: Senior Researcher Katrine Rich Madsen, Email: krma@sdu.dk · Tel.: +45 6550 7719, Professor Emeritus Bjørn E. Holstein, Email: bho@sdu.dk · Tel.: +45 23 42 43 18, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark