YOUNG adults in Tanzania demonstrate stronger mental resilience, achieving the highest recorded mental wellbeing scores among 76 countries surveyed globally by a Washington-based laboratory service provider, largely tied to specific exposure to certain threats.

Dr Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist at Sapien Labs, says in The Mental State of the World 2024 report released yesterday, that Africa holds a unique advantage in youth mental health, ”an asset that must be actively protected as the continent undergoes rapid technological and economic shifts.”

Across all countries, younger adults have diminished mind health relative to older generations. In only 15 out of 79 countries did their average Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) exceed 50 and in just one country – Tanzania, had an average MHQ above 65 – equivalent to the lowest country average among those aged 55+.

However, it is worth noting that the figures for Tanzanian youth are still way below the average figures for older adults generally across the globe.

Compiled by the Washington-based Sapien Labs, a global leader in mental health research, the report which analysed over one million responses worldwide from internet enabled populations in 76 countries across all continents, shows that Tanzania stands out as the only country where the average MHQ of internet-enabled young adults exceeds 70.

These figures contrast sharply with Western nations, where youth mental well-being has been in steep decline since 2019, with no signs of recovery. The decline in mind health across the world is characterized by a deterioration of the ability to control and regulate thoughts and emotions as well as form and maintain positive relationships with people.

The report says that the reasons behind Tanzania’s stronger figures on youth mental well-being, can be linked to several factors including the country’s minimal ultra-processed food sales and less exposure to plastic, as the country banned single use plastic bags nearly ten years ago.

There is also less exposure to industrial toxins, it said, highlighting that the economy is more focused on tourism and agriculture, similarly as Tanzania’s youth is less exposed to smart phones from a young age and less time is spent on phones.

|It said that this situation could be the result of weaker internet coverage across the country, while Tanzania’s youth being more mentally resilient is linked to the fact that the country has a more socially collective culture with acute emphasis on family bonds and friendships.

 “With Africa’s youthful population set to play a key role in the global economy in the coming decades, governments must take proactive steps to ensure that urbanization, digital adoption and evolving lifestyles do not erode the mental resilience that is now setting African youth apart from the rest of the world," it cautioned.

Findings from the report further suggest that stronger community and family ties, later exposure to smartphones, and more face-to-face social interactions may contribute to these varying scores. These factors, which help build emotional resilience, have been declining in high-income nations over the past decade, where digital connectivity and individualism have replaced traditional social structures.

However, as Africa urbanizes and adopts more technology, researchers warn that these benefits could fade if not protected, leading to a decline in young people's mental well-being across the continent.

The lead scientist pointed out that the report highlights a widening generational gap in mental health worldwide. While older adults (55+) continue to thrive, younger adults are facing unique levels of distress. The consequence of this as the older generation moves out of the workforce is that we will be faced with a new workforce that may not be able to cope with the pressures of daily life, stated.

“There will be less productivity, more days off, less co-operation and more anxiety and possibly more violence in daily life with a generation that does not have the cognitive ability to cope”.

 “For Tanzania, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge to learn from global trends and act now to preserve the mental resilience of its young people. The task for Tanzania is how to manage its economic growth without compromising further the mental health of the population.

“The country needs to be strategic by focusing on policies to regulate ultra-processed food and plastics and policies around smartphones for children should also be implemented. Schools also play a huge role in protecting the mental health and well-being of youth and the government should work closely with the education sector on mitigating potential future damage as the country becomes more urbanized,” she added.