Health and lifestyle challenges among non-binary youth: a study of the Cuida-te+ Program

Non-binary youth has been described as a particularly vulnerable group, facing unique challenges regarding their health and lifestyle. It is urgent to identify these challenges and to promote well-being in this population.

This study aimed to analyze gender differences in health and lifestyles in a sample of Portuguese adolescents. It is part of the Cuida-te+ Program of the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ, I.P.), which aims to promote the health and lifestyles of young people aged 12 to 25. This program includes Mobile Units, which consist of awareness-raising actions in places where there is a significant presence of the target population (i.e., schools). To assess the mentioned indicators, a questionnaire was shared at the end of these actions.

The results showed no significant differences when comparing binary and non-binary genders, regarding life satisfaction and the practice of physical activity, smoking, inebriation, general drug use, screen time, and hours of sleep. However, in other areas, non-binary people reported worse results compared to their peers. Namely, they reported poorer eating habits, more frequent lifetime alcohol consumption, and use of some types of illegal drugs (e.g., LSD), less use of screen time for the purpose of studying, working and/or researching, more arguments with family, friends and/or partner, more often not sleeping enough, and more negative results regarding health and well-being (e.g., more symptoms of sadness and exhaustion).

These results highlight the importance of monitoring and creating adjusted responses, tailored to the needs of non-binary youth.