SACRAMENTO, Calif.– American children today are heavier, sicker, and face a greater risk of early death than kids from just a generation ago, according to the most comprehensive assessment of pediatric health in nearly 20 years.
Published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study reviewed 170 health indicators based on eight national data sets dating back to 2002, Xinhua news agency reported.
“All of them point in the same direction: children’s health is getting worse,” said lead author Dr. Christopher Forrest of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Among the findings: obesity rates among 2- to 19-year-olds rose from 17% in the 2007–2008 survey cycle to about 21% in 2021–2023.
Electronic medical records from over 1 million children and adolescents revealed that diagnoses of at least one chronic condition—such as anxiety, depression, or sleep apnea—increased from about 40% in 2011 to 46% in 2023. A separate parent survey found the risk of any chronic illness rose by 15–20% since 2011.
Mortality data painted an even more troubling picture. Compared to children in other high-income countries like Canada, Germany, and Japan, American children were roughly 1.8 times more likely to die between 2007 and 2022, according to the study. Premature births and sudden unexpected infant deaths accounted for most infant deaths, while firearm injuries and car crashes were the leading causes of death among older children and teens.
Mental health warning signs also grew more prevalent. The study noted increases in depressive symptoms, loneliness, sleep difficulties, and reduced physical activity.
“Kids are the canaries in the coal mine; they absorb social stress earlier and more intensely than adults,” Forrest said.
In a related JAMA editorial, pediatricians Dr. Frederick Rivara and Dr. Avital Nathanson called for urgent reforms, including stronger injury prevention efforts, expanded maternal health and vaccination programs, and a deeper commitment to addressing the social determinants of health.
They warned that slashing public health budgets, delaying infrastructure improvements, or promoting anti-vaccine misinformation would only steer the country “in the wrong direction.”
The study stopped short of identifying a single cause for the downturn. Instead, the authors cited a mix of factors: diets high in ultra-processed foods, inconsistent access to healthcare, unsafe neighborhoods, and growing economic inequality.
Forrest called for “neighborhood-by-neighborhood action plans that treat children’s health as a community responsibility.”
Despite the United States spending more per person on healthcare than any other country, the researchers stressed that reversing these troubling trends will require investments well beyond clinics—including schools, housing, transportation, and social services—before today’s warning signs become tomorrow’s public health crises. (Source: IANS)
