One in five young teenagers say that their friends are carrying knives and weapons, says a major annual survey of schoolchildren's health and wellbeing.

These weapons are carried by boys for ""protection"", say youngsters -- and researchers have linked this to increased affluence among teenagers. This portrait of teenage life, based on a survey of 70,000 youngsters, showed considerable fears of bullying. Getting drunk is also a habit for a quarter of 14 to 15 year old girls. This survey from the Schools Health Education Unit has been examining the lifestyles of young people since the mid-1980s. -------Wheezy ""We have linked young people's carrying of weapons with other aspects of their lifestyle, for example, having money to go out,"" say the report's authors. The annual survey shows a picture of children entering secondary school with plenty of exercise and enjoyment of sport. But as the teenage years develop, it shows a picture of a substantial minority of children affected by ""wheeziness"" and declining fitness, insecurity about personal safety, anxiety about appearance and exposure to drink and alcohol. A declining number of children live with both parents -- 66% in this survey -- and in terms of recreation, there are examples of youngsters spending a long time alone. There were 16% of boys who spent more than three hours after school playing computer games -- and 79% of teenagers were using the internet unsupervised. The survey shows that less than half of secondary pupils walk even part of the way to school -- and 57% of teenage girls are ""wheezy"" if they have to run. A fifth of youngsters in this age groups are classified as asthmatics. It also found widespread, frequent use among both boys and girls of non-prescription painkillers. Girls also revealed worries about their appearance -- feeling ""picked on"" over issues such as weight. And with fears of being overweight, the survey shows that more than a quarter of 15 year old girls had had no breakfast that day -- and among these, a quarter had had no lunch the previous day. Teenage girls also reported particular fears about not getting an adequate amount of sleep. -------Chips and crisps There were signs that the messages of healthy eating were getting through. There was a decline in the chips and crisps diet -- and almost a quarter ate three portions of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. The long-term overview of the survey shows that the use of illegal drugs is not rising -- and that smoking cigarettes continues to decline. A majority of 14 to 15 year old boys have never smoked a cigarette. It shows that young people are living in a culture where there is widespread exposure to illegal drugs and alcohol -- and that children have to exercise their judgment to refuse. About one in five 14 to 15 year olds have taken cannabis -- but a much higher number know drug users. A quarter of 14 to 15 year old girls had been drunk in the previous week -- higher than the rate for boys. And among those children drinking at home, two in five did so with the knowledge of their parents. But it also points to a growing affluence among teenagers -- with up to 40% of 15 year olds having part-time jobs. With extra cash, youngsters have access to more consumer goods and going out at night -- which in turn could make them more vulnerable to crime and could influence whether they carry knives. It could also be connected to health matters -- because the most likely way of spending money for teenagers is on sweets and soft drinks. (Source: BBC