Results from the Interlake Regional Health Authority's Youth Health Survey have been released.

They had an 84 per cent response to 5500 surveys sent to 40 schools, ranging from Grade 6 to 12.

Vice President of Planning Doreen Fey points out they wanted to obtain community-specific data on risk factors for chronic disease. She was surprised to find 9 out of 10 kids in the Interlake don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which is alarming because that trend can continue into adulthood.

The survey also found 1 out of 3 Interlake kids are smoking by the time they're in Grade 11. Fey notes the study shows over-all, the region doesn't do as well as the national scale, which is alarming.

However, she's glad to have the information so issues can be addressed through partnerships between communities, agencies, and parents.