[Health status of adolescents in the 7th grade at schools in Indre-et-Loire].

A survey of 1,316 pupils in the 7th grade in private or public schools in the department of Indre et Loire was conducted in order to establish the health status and needs of adolescents aged 12-15 years. Nutritional behavior, alcohol and tobacco consumption, obesity, hypertension, audio-visual disturbances, and dental status were the essential points of this survey. This study demonstrates the necessity of frequent and systematic health care supervision of adolescents, in an effort to detect and prevent or treat disturbances which may have long term adverse effects. The absence of such a structure in our medico-social armament is underlined along with the potential consequences that such a deficiency may have on the future adult generation.