This commentary is part of a special Nature, Nature Research journals and Scientific American collection titled 'Coming of age: the emerging science of adolescence'. In this commentary, Young Lives Director Professor Jo Boyden and Johns Hopkins' Robert Blum argue that for most of the world's adolescents, poverty and social marginalization influence health much more than risk-taking does.

The authors start from the current research picture. 90% of current evidence about adolescence comes from research in high-income countries, yet 9/10 people aged between 10-24 live in low- and middle-income countries where this life stage looks very different. Read the commentary here to find out more.