On September 23rd, 2025, the New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC) publicly released its latest article titled “New Brunswick Youth Health Behaviours: 2024–2025 Snapshot,” shedding light on key health-related behaviours among the province’s youth—including physical activity, screen time, sleep, and substance use.
The findings are based on the results of the 2024-2025 edition of the New Brunswick Student Wellness and Education Survey conducted each fall in all public schools across the province. This survey provides valuable insights to citizens, educators, service providers, and policymakers by measuring wellness at the local level. More than 46,000 students in grades 6 to 12 participated in the most recent edition.
The NBHC has drawn the following observations:
- Not enough New Brunswick youth in grades 6 to 12 are meeting national health behaviour guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep.
- 21% of New Brunswick youth in grades 6 to 12 report using one or more substances.
- Youth behaviours vary across NB communities.
“These results are a call to action,” says Stéphane Robichaud, CEO of the NBHC. “They show that many youth in New Brunswick are not engaging in the health behaviours known to support strong mental and physical well-being. This isn’t just a youth issue—it’s a community issue. If we want to see improvement, we need long-term, coordinated efforts tailored to the specific needs of youth in our communities.”
These results, along with all the other indicators from the 2024-2025 edition of the New Brunswick Student Wellness and Education Survey are accessible on our website.
Access the full article here: New Brunswick Youth Health Behaviours: 2024–2025 Snapshot
For interview requests, please contact:
Nay O’Leary
Executive Director, Citizen Engagement
Phone: 506-377-7689
Email: Nay.OLeary@nbhc.ca