Iceland places third in a comprehensive assessment of child well-being in 29 nations of the industrial world produced by the UNICEF Office of Research, based on data from 2009-2010, and released yesterday.
Photo: Páll Kjartansson/Iceland Review.
The Netherlands retains it top place, followed by Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium and Ireland.
The United Nations charity considered five areas, including children’s material well-being, which looked at how they were affected by poverty and material deprivation. It also assessed statistics on health and safety, education, behavior and housing conditions.
According to the assessment, Icelandic children place fifth when it comes to having breakfast but 21st when it comes to eating fruit. As for exercise, Icelandic children rank 20th and when child obesity is considered, Iceland ranks 13th, ruv.is reports.
Iceland places eighth in terms peacefulness and has a proportionally low rate in bullying, numbering fifth. Iceland tops the ranking in having a smoke-free youth and second for having a low rate of drinking among teenagers.
However, Icelandic girls become pregnant relatively early, in which category Iceland lands in 20th place.
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is active in more than 190 countries and territories through country programs and national committees.
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