India ranks 71st on first-time exposure to smartphones, the average age being 16.5 years.Young adults in India, aged 18 to 34, rank 60th globally in mental health and well-being, according to the Global Mind Health 2025 report covering 84 countries. They have a Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) score of 33. In contrast, Indians aged 55 and above score 96, ranking 49th globally and aligning more closely with functional norms of mental health.The findings, part of Sapien Labs’ Global Mind Project, are based on responses from 78,093 internet-enabled, literate individuals in India — including 29,594 in the 18–34 age group and 24,088 aged 55 and above. Globally, the study draws on data from over a million respondents across 84 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Researchers say the results reflect a structural, multi-year generational shift rather than a temporary post-pandemic effect.“This is not simply a rise in anxiety or depression diagnoses,” says Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist at Sapien Labs, a non-profit that is led by experts in neuroscience, psychology and computational science. “What we are seeing globally — and in India — is a decline in core mental functioning among younger adults: the ability to regulate emotions, maintain focus, build stable relationships and recover from stress. This represents a fundamental shift in how younger generations are able to navigate life,” she adds. Challenges for them include holding a job and managing relationships with friends and family.What is the MHQ score all about?Researchers mapped the emotional, social, cognitive and physical capacities of participants that are key to managing and thriving in life, work and relationships. Taken together, they formed the MHQ score.What are key takeaways?Apart from the MHQ score, researchers ranked countries based on four behavioural factors — family bonds, which indicate social closeness and stability, spirituality, which gives a sense of meaning and connectedness, ultra-processed food consumption, which is a measure of pleasure-seeking and smartphone exposure in childhood, which helps track behavioural changes.India ranks 28th on family closeness in both age groups. Ultra-processed food consumption among the 18-34 age group in India is 44%, compared to11% among those 55 years and above. India ranks 71st on first-time exposure to smartphones, the average age being 16.5 years. However, the report notes this age is falling in younger cohorts.“India still retains certain protective cultural elements, particularly family bonds,” Thiagarajan says. “However, youth vulnerability mirrors global patterns. The structural forces affecting younger generations are common to modern, internet-enabled and literate populations across all countries,” she adds.Story continues below this adHow will the general shift in mental health play out?“MHQ is linearly related to productivity. So, declines mean that there will be a substantial impact on economic activity. Second, the sub-measure of Social Self is negatively correlated with rates of violent crime. This metric is falling most steeply across generations and, therefore, predicts rising rates of violent crime worldwide. However, even beyond the broader societal implications as a whole, as parents we should be very concerned about the world we are creating for our children,” Thiagarajan writes in an email response.This shift is arising due to various aspects of the modern world that are not aligned with our biology as human beings. “For example, the load of neurotoxins in our food system has been rising and today various toxic additives have even been introduced into baby foods to add colour, flavour and shelf life. These likely degrade the capacity of the nervous system (which includes the brain) for control and regulation of thoughts and emotions. Second, smartphones earlier in childhood are increasingly putting the development of children into the hands of algorithms that do not care for their well-being, while parents get busier and interact less with their kids,” says Thiagarajan.Family closeness and spirituality, which are key factors in maintaining positive mind health, are in sharp decline in younger generations across the world. For example, in India only 64% of the 18-34 group are close to their families compared to 78% of those above 55.Other factors, like physical activity and time in nature, have not been covered in this report.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:mental health