Years ago, before the introduction of mobile phones, families seemed to treasure their moments together. They chatted excitedly when they had family reunions or dinners.

Yet today people are easily distracted. In the middle of a conversation, people will take a phone call, read a text or send a message.

At times, people will be sitting beside family and friends, yet ignoring one another as they play video games. Just see how many people actually interact on the MTR.

Rather than keeping us together, technology seems to make us grow apart. We seem to have lost the art of communication.

Cat To Yan-wa

Having it good is bad for 'Generation Y'

Growing up as members of 'Generation Y' in a prosperous Hong Kong may prove to be a disadvantage to youngsters in the future.

Many of us, particularly those from middle- and upper-class families, have never had to really struggle for things.

Most parents try to give their children a good education. They make sacrifices for us and endure disappointments and frustrations in the process. They do all they can to ensure we do not face the same setbacks.

Yet having an easy, trouble-free path means we don't have to face important life experiences. People learn from their mistakes; this helps us to adapt and solve problems. Facing difficulties makes us better people and more independent. We then know we can cope with any adversity.

So parents should try not to give us everything. They need to balance generosity with solid parenting, while encouraging their children to be more open with them. This will lead to a better understanding between the two parties.

Schools could add life skills to the curriculum to enhance children's development, while the government could promote parental education to help them deal with challenges.

Generation Y, their parents and the government can all play a part in helping to improve society in future.

Amanda Wong Hau-ching, The Chinese Foundation Secondary School

Hong Kong students must exercise more

Everyone knows that regular exercise is important for our health. Yet a new study by the University of Hong Kong has found that local students appear to be less physically active than their counterparts in countries such as Britain, Egypt, New Zealand and Singapore.

Young Hongkongers have to stay at school for long hours. When they come home, they have class assignments and revision, even though they may feel exhausted. Undoubtedly, local students spend a great deal of time on their schoolwork. But many are also addicted to social networking sites such as Facebook, or play video games. This is a waste of time.

Some students even blame the weather for a lack of focus.

If it is cold, they prefer to stay inside in front of the television. If it is hot, they say it is unsuitable for exercise.

The government should build more indoor facilities so that people can do exercise throughout the year.

Schools can play their part by cutting down on the amount of homework, allocating more time for sports, and organising more sports-focused clubs and classes.

Leung Choi-yi, Carmel Bunnan Tong Memorial Secondary School

We must eat less 'siu mei'

A new survey has found that many Hongkongers eat siu mei - meat roasted over open fires - up to once every four days.

However, such barbecued meats are unhealthy, and can cause heart disease, strokes or even cancer.

Siu mei is delicious and cheap - I love eating it, too.

However, now I plan to eat less of it because of the health risks highlighted by the report.

I know it is impossible to cut out such foods from our diets totally. But we must be careful about what we eat, because our health is precious.

Cheung Ka-kin