The United States is lagging behind in protecting its youngest generation. One published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Not only will it increase the red flag, but it will also sound the alarm bell. It found that children in the United States were more likely to die than children in other wealthy countries. But the most disturbing part? The report exceeded the mortality rate and showed an unsettling long-term decline in child health across the country.
Overall decline in children’s health in the United States
“In the process of conducting this study, there was no shocking statistics, but a comprehensive data, including millions of children over the years, pointing to the same trend, which is an overall decline in health status for children and adolescents,” said Christopher B. Forrest, a professor of pediatrics at Chop. He is also the director of the Center for Applied Clinical Research and PEDSNET.
The study says more than one in five (23.6%) children in the United States suffer from one or more chronic health conditions.
Specifically, the study cites “chronic physical, developmental, mental health conditions; obesity; sleep health; early adolescence; limitations of activity; and physical and emotional symptoms in children.”
Covid-19 may be a factor
The study says that since the COVID-19-19 pandemic, more and more American children have been dealing with behavioral, developmental, and mental health issues. This marks a reversal of the positive trend. From 2016 to 2020, the incidence of chronic diseases has been trending downward. However, after this period, progress stagnates and increases quickly. As a result, the long-term impact of co-certification on children’s health was asked about.
“This study confirms what many pediatricians, educators and parents have been perceiving for years: Our children are facing an increasingly serious health crisis,” said Dr. Neal Halfon, Distinguished Professor and Director of Pediatrics. UCLA Healthy Children, Family, and Community Center. “The breadth and consistency of these declines in physical, mental and developmental health indicators require urgent national attention.”
Behavior, development and mental health issues are getting longer
Children aged three to 17 years have recorded an increase in chronic diseases. The 10 pediatric medical centers surveyed reported a rise from 39.9% to 45.7%. At the same time, chronic diseases in the general population increased from 25.8% to 31% in the same age group. Meanwhile, obesity, sleep disorders, early menstrual episodes, fatigue, pain, depression and loneliness are all increasing.
The report says that in some cases, the diagnosis of anxiety, depression and eating disorders has increased by more than triple. Obesity rose from 17% to 20.9%. At the same time, the incidence of early menstrual episodes increased by more than 60%. according to National Institutes of Health.
The study notes that children in low-income families are more likely to suffer from multiple chronic health conditions.
Research background
The study was led by scientists at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia (CHOP). They analyzed records from 10 pediatric health systems and five national survey networks.
In addition, the study compares the health of children in the United States with the health of 18 other high-income members. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD18). These include from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
We are #1
Studies show that from 2007 to 2023, the probability of infant death in the United States is 1.78 (78%) times that of the OECD18 countries. For the age group between one and 19 years, the number is 1.8 (80%).
Among those aged one to 19, the main causes of death are car accidents and gun deaths.
Academic skills decline is similar to a health decline
An unrelated study published earlier this year showed that the decline in reading and math skills is similar to a downturn in children’s health.
In February, researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth released the current Educational Restoration Scorecard. It found that on average, students lag nearly half of the pre-pandemic in mathematics and reading. In addition, reading has dropped further in 2022.
The report examines academic recycling in 8719 school districts in 43 states from 2019 to 2024. Only 100 regions exceeded their 2019 levels.
Money factor
Income gaps within regions promote achievement gaps between regions. High-income zones are almost four times more likely to resume math and reading levels than low-income zones.
According to the scorecard, there is a $190 billion federal relief fund that prevents greater losses, according to the scorecard. With this money to tutor, the areas with summer schools and related courses are better than those without.
One of the main factors in academic recovery is attendance, the report said. Schools that have stopped closing suffer longer. However, the evolving absenteeism since the pandemic remains a major obstacle to recovery.
“The pandemic may be an earthquake, but The increase in absenteeism is a tsunami,,,,, Thomas Kane of Harvard University told The New York Times.
Research recommendations
Authors of Child Health Research advocate for stronger support systems. Specifically, they recommend providing more high-quality early childhood education, better family support, safer community and acculturally acculturated care.
“Children are naturally resilient and adaptable,” Forrest said. “If we can improve the ecosystem around us and address the challenges we have found in this study, then we can bring a healthier future for the youth of our country.”
Comment: Healthy Kids – A Healthy Future
Some of us are old enough to remember President John Kennedy’s Youth Health and Fitness Program. There is a national advertising and public relations campaign that facilitates the program. As a result, regular exercise programs were adopted in schools across the country.
To quote him, “Children are living messages we send to time we don’t see.”
Since now is the time to establish moral values and intellectual abilities, childhood is also the time to establish physical health. Healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy adults. In turn, healthy adults are expected to better maintain a country’s health.
However, it is estimated that Spending on health and education cuts $1 trillion In the program in “large bills”, the challenges of growing many children into healthy adults are increasing.
We often measure the strength of a country through total national products (GDP), citizens’ income and net assets, and wealth that are abundant in their natural resources.
All of these measurements will drop. A country can produce less goods and services (GDP), its citizens may lose funds and its natural resources may run out.
If you count humanity and our ability to create as natural resources as capabilities, then you might think that the decline of our children’s health is the decline of our nation’s strength.
President Kennedy said in his inaugural speech: “Let the word come from this time and place, to friends and enemies, that is, the torch has been passed to the new generation of Americans.”.
If we do not now assume the financial and personal involvement required by our children and grandchildren, they may lack the ability to pass the torch to them.
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