▶ LISTEN TO ORLANDO’S MORNING NEWS EXPRESS PODCAST ON WDBO
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has highlighted a concerning decline in the health of children in the United States over the past 17 years.
Dr Christopher Forrest, a co-author of the study, emphasized the pervasive nature of the crisis, stating, “The surprising part of the study wasn’t any with any single statistic; it was that there’s 170 indicators, eight data sources, all showing the same thing: a generalized decline in kids’ health.”
Obesity rates for US children aged two to 19 climbed from 17 per cent in 2007-2008 to approximately 21 per cent by 2021-2023, and the prevalence of 97 chronic conditions recorded by doctors rose from around 40 per cent in 2011 to 46 per cent in 2023.
American children were around 1.8 times more likely to die than children in other high-income countries between 2007 and 2022, with causes such as premature birth, sudden unexpected death, firearm-related incidents, and motor vehicle crashes being significant factors.
The study also showed alarming trends in early onset of menstruation, sleep disturbances, and depressive symptoms.
Experts have raised concerns about the impact of current policies on children’s health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies to address these troubling trends.
Click here to download our free news, weather and traffic app. And click here to subscribe to our daily 3 Big Things newsletter.