This article reviews the principles of representative surveys of the general population and their role in monitoring addictive behaviors: quantifying the levels of use of various...

Alain Morel, a psychiatrist and director of a treatment center for substance abusers, proposes a new strategy for preventing risky substance use. Drawing on his experience as a clinician...

According to the INPES Health Barometer survey, three million French people1 have suffered from depression in the past twelve months. And eight million people have experienced depressive...

In addition to addressing individual determinants, population-based interventions (networking, organizational changes, environmental modifications, etc.) can lead to increased physical...

It is society’s responsibility to encourage people to engage in physical activity and to create more supportive environments. We must give meaning to this activity, which fosters social...

How do the French engage in physical activity, and how much time do they devote to it? This article presents some findings from the 2005 Health Barometer survey conducted by INPES. The...

For adolescents, engaging in recreational physical activity has three dimensions—emotional, cognitive, and social—that go far beyond mere motor skills. Any activity is a path to personal...

After nearly thirty years, the Kino-Québec program continues to promote physical activity. Safe walking routes for schoolchildren, neighborhoods designed to increase the number of people...

For the past six years, a team of professionals from the Jacob-Holtzer School Complex—including nurses, a social worker, a science teacher, and guidance counselors—in Firminy (Loire) has...

In 2003, four years before the law banning smoking in schools took effect, twenty-two high schools across France volunteered to participate in the "Smoke-Free High Schools" initiative....