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Aim: The main purpose was to examine if interpersonal relations, mental distress, somatic symptoms and health behaviours could be protective or risk factors for the subjective well-being of 12-year-old school children. Methods: After ethical and parental permission a questionnaire was completed by 807 pupils in the sixth grade of 18 randomised schools in seven rural and urban districts in the north-west area of Stockholm. The questionnaire was a modified version of the WHO Health Behaviour in School-Ages Children Study and the Youth Self-Report Questionnaire. Well-being was measured by the question, ‘How are you these days'? Measures of protective or risk factors were relations to parents, teacher/schoolwork and peers, eating and safety habits, somatic symptoms, anxious/depressed and aggressiveness. Results: Logistic regressions were performed with well-being as dependent variable before and after adjustment for gender, which was the only significant background factor. Finally, a multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted with gender and the six significantly related predictors as independent variables. In the multiple model, relations to teacher/school and peers, eating habits, anxious/depressed and somatic symptoms were associated with well-being and yielded significant odds ratios. Conclusions: Relations to teacher/school, relations to peers and good eating habits could be protective factors for subjective well-being, while somatic and anxious/depressed symptoms may be risk factors for ill-being. This indicates an increased need for interpersonal relations and mental health-oriented, promotive interventions in schools. Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.

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