Estonian youth and their readiness to serve in the Defence Forces

The physical fitness of young people entering the Estonian defence forces is generally satisfactory. Most of the young people are strong and healthy, but there are also some who still have room for improvement in their physical fitness.

Although it is widely believed that it is mainly men who serve in the Defence Forces, every year there are also girls and young men who want to join the service and contribute to the defence of their country.

How can an Estonian woman and woman join the Estonian Defence Forces?

Estonian women who want to start military service have to follow similar requirements and procedures as men. This decision is a significant step forward, with both rights and obligations.

Just like men, women must meet certain requirements to start military service. To do so, they must be Estonian citizens, aged between 18 and 27 and have at least a basic education. However, women have the right to opt out within the first 90 days of entering the service. If they decide to continue, they will be entered in the register of Defence Forces conscripts and will be considered as Defence Forces conscripts, with corresponding rights and obligations.

Estonia's teenagers face health and physical fitness challenges

Health and physical fitness can be a barrier for many young people who want to join the military. Although the overall level of health among young people in Estonia is satisfactory or good, some teenagers face health problems. For example, mental health problems appear to occur more frequently and increase with age. This is the case for both girls and boys. More than a third of girls and a fifth of boys aged 11-15 in Estonia feel sad or depressed more than once a week.

However, when comparing the health of girls and boys who want to join the armed forces, there is no significant difference. However, the physical health of girls is slightly better than that of boys, while the mental health of boys is similar.

Nicotine and alcohol consumption among Estonia's youth a cause for concern

One of the biggest problems among both girls and young men is smoking and alcohol consumption. This is still prevalent among young people, including in the context of more recent trends including the use of e-cigarettes or vapes. According to the 2022 Estonian Population Health Behaviour Survey, the consumption of alternative nicotine products is most prevalent among young people aged 16-24, especially young men.

Obesity among Estonia's young people a cause for concern

Research by the National Institute for Health Development (NIH) shows that the number of overweight children in Estonia has been steadily increasing. For example, according to the results of the 2018 and 2019 Estonian Student Growth Surveillance Survey, almost a fifth of pupils in first and fourth grades were overweight and 111% were obese.

It is sad to see that, as age increased, the number of children of normal weight decreased and the proportion of overweight and obese increased.

However, it is pleasing to note that young people's awareness of exercise, nutrition, active lifestyles and general health has increased significantly in recent times. This positive trend is the result of a combination of factors, including improved health programmes in schools, increased awareness of health through the media and social media, and young people's own interest in healthy lifestyles.

How does the health status of young people in Estonia compare with that in neighbouring countries?

Unfortunately, the health of young people entering the Estonian armed forces is not outstanding compared to neighbouring countries. In Estonia, the number of overweight children has been increasing year on year, and. 18% young people aged 11-15 are overweight, according to the survey. Boys are more overweight, including obese, than girls, with no age differences. The number of overweight pupils in Estonia is higher than the HBSC average and higher than in Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania. 

Compared to young people in neighbouring countries, young people in Estonia are on average healthier and fairly satisfied with their lives. They are second only to Lithuania in terms of self-perceived health and life satisfaction. 

Estonian boys rated their health and life satisfaction higher than girls. They also had fewer health complaints, according to the survey.

Young people in Estonia are also on average healthier mentally than their neighbours. Among Estonian young people there are less depression and anxiety than young people in Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, according to the survey. 

What are the main health concerns for the Defence Resources Agency?

Aare Jamnes, Defence Resources Agency: "Everyone is fighting for young people's time these days, there are more and more choices to do with your time, but unfortunately there are more and more choices that can be done indoors and sitting. This same competition for young people's time also reduces physical activity, which in turn has a negative impact on physical fitness. In addition, it has been pointed out that young people who take part in sport specialise too early and their overall physical fitness and coordination is low."

However, awareness and informed decision-making are different things. Young people receive a lot of information, often contradictory information, which can lead to confusion. Military service makes it easier for young people to make decisions and teaches them discipline, which is a prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle in later life. Balanced diets, specific times to eat and constant exercise throughout the day are some of the skills that every young person will gain from military service.

Did you know that FitQ and the Defence Resources Agency have teamed up to create a free programme called "Together in Form"!

The Defence Physical Fitness Preparation Programme will help you prepare for the Defence Physical Fitness Test! NOTE! Anyone can take part, not just young people going into military service!

Are you ready to improve your overall fitness? Our joint 12-week preparation programme will help you achieve your goals and pass your general fitness test better than ever.

The programme is suitable for young people as well as adults, women and men, whatever their level of fitness. The programme, put together by specialists, consists of three four-week training cycles focusing on key general fitness attributes such as strength, flexibility and endurance. The structure of the programme is guaranteed to ensure your consistent development.

Participate in the Defence Physical Fitness Training Programme and improve your fitness safely and efficiently.

Overall, the health of young people entering the Estonian armed forces is generally good. Girls' interest in military service has been stable over the last few years, and young people are more aware of exercise, nutrition and health. However, obesity among young people is a worrying problem and more efforts are needed to tackle it. Here's where we call on all of you - young people and adults, women and men - to take action. Participate in the Defence Physical Fitness Training Programme to improve your fitness safely and effectively according to a professional plan.!