Most Greenlandic children are thriving and have strong relationships
The vast majority of children and young people in Greenland are doing well. They report a high quality of life, feel comfortable with their peers and teachers, and have close relationships, according to a new study of the health and wellbeing of Greenlandic schoolchildren. However, the study also identifies more concerning trends, including an increase in bullying and a decline in physical activity.
The study was conducted by HBSC Greenland and the Centre for Public Health in Greenland at the Danish National Institute of Public Health. It is based on data from 2,590 pupils in grades 5–10 aged 10–17 who answered the survey in 2024.
Overall, the study paints a positive picture of children’s wellbeing in Greenland, says Birgit Niclasen, head of HBSC Greenland (the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study) and one of the report’s authors:
“The foundations are in place. The vast majority of children are doing well and feel that they are thriving in their everyday lives. They have good relationships with their families, peers and teachers, which provides an important foundation and a strong starting point.”
Most report a high quality of life
In 2024, nearly eight in ten pupils report a high quality of life. At the same time, most pupils experience a strong sense of class cohesion, and around 80 per cent say they have a good relationship with their teachers. The proportion of pupils who feel lonely has also declined in recent years.
Family continues to play a central role in children’s wellbeing. A growing share of pupils find it easy to talk to at least one parent about worries, more families eat meals together regularly, and 42 per cent spend time in nature with their family at least once a week.
The study also shows that more children are taking part in leisure activities. In 2024, 73 per cent of pupils participate in at least one leisure activity every week, compared with 69 per cent in 2022.
By contrast, children’s daily physical activity has declined. Only 26 per cent now meet the recommended levels of physical activity, down from 36 per cent in 2018.
More experience online bullying
Other trends are moving in the wrong direction as well. The proportion of pupils who like or really like going to school has fallen from 78 per cent in 2018 to 66 per cent in 2024.
In addition, bullying is on the rise. The share of pupils who have experienced cyberbullying has almost doubled since 2018. At the same time, the study shows for the first time that 13 per cent of pupils have a problematic use of social media.
According to Professor Christina Viskum Lytken Larsen, research director at the Centre for Public Health in Greenland and one of the report’s authors, this development is not unexpected:
“More children are spending more time on social media, which increases the risk of bullying and online conflicts. Unfortunately, this is to be expected, but it is nevertheless something that must be taken seriously,” she says.
Half use nicotine products
Most children rate their health as good or very good, but a substantial proportion experience frequent physical and mental symptoms – especially sleep problems and headaches.
When it comes to substance use, just over half of pupils in grades 9–10 use at least one nicotine product.
Smoking has remained largely unchanged, with nearly one third of older pupils still smoking tobacco, and one in five (21 per cent) pupils in grades 9–10 having used e-cigarettes in the past month.
At the same time, the proportion of 15–17-year-olds who have ever been drunk has increased from 28 per cent in 2018 to 35 per cent in 2024.
More frequent data collection
Going forward, the study will be conducted every two years, while the international HBSC study will continue to be carried out every four years.
“More frequent data provide a stronger basis for targeting interventions locally and nationally. At the same time, the study shows that many things are working well, and it is important to hold on to that,” says Christina Viskum Lytken Larsen.
Contact: Research Director Birgit Niclasen, HBSC Greenland and the Centre for Public Health in Greenland, tel.: +299 523832, e-mail: bivn@nanoq.gl or bivn@sdu.dk Professor and Research Director Christina Viskum Lytken Larsen, Centre for Public Health in Greenland, tel.: +45 6550 7722, e-mail: chly@sdu.dk, Danish National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark