A new report on the physical and emotional health of young Canadians has found some reasons for celebration but also a few for continuing concern.
  
The survey by the Public Health Agency of Canada of more than 9,500 young people in Grades 6 to 10 shows daily tobacco smoking dropped significantly in 2006 from four years earlier — both for boys and for girls.
  
Most forms of bullying fell between 2002 and 2006, although the report found that more than one-third of students are still victims of bullying, and more students from higher-income families say they bully others.
  
When it comes to exercise and a healthy diet, the report found almost half of 11-to15-year-olds are physically inactive, and less than half report eating fruits or vegetables on a daily basis.
  
Obesity levels among young people rose, with about one-quarter of boys and 17 per cent of girls either overweight or obese.
  
The report shows that girls and boys in Grade 6 are pretty equal emotionally, but by Grade 10 girls experience poorer emotional health than boys.
  
The study's authors say good parental trust and communication are much more important to young people's emotional health than living with both parents or the level of their family's wealth.
  
The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey has been carried out in Canada every four years since 1990 by the Social Program Evaluation Group at Queen's University in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada.