This report is the main outcome of the seventh year of the Health Survey for England, carried out by the Joint Health Surveys Unit of Social and Community Planning Research and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. In order to promote hetter health it is essential that the health strategy is underpinned by adequate systems for monitoring and appraising the health of the population. The Health Survey for England provides a major vehicle for doing this. The survey is unique in providing information on the prevalance of specificliealth conditions together with prevalence of risk factors associated with those conditions, the socio-dernographic characteristics of the respondents, physical measurements and blood samples. Unlike previous reports in this series this report combines into rination fr6m several years info rmation on a sub-group of the population: children and young adults. Up to 1994 the survey covered only the adult population aged 16. Since 1995 children aged 2-15 have also been covered and the 1997 survey increased the sample size of children and young adults (2-24) to provide more detailed information. This report combines information on children and young adults from the 1995 to 1997 surveys and covers: respiratory illness; non-fatal accidents; physical activity; smoking; drinking; eating habits; self-assessed health and psychological well-being. A follow-up study on attitudes and hehaviour relating to sun protection is also included in this report.