Latest news with #ChristopherForrest
Bloomberg
15-07-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
MAHA Misses the Real Threats Facing the Next Generation
A new study in JAMA uses extensive data to paint a comprehensive picture of how America's children are faring — and the image is bleak. Between 2007 and 2023, their physical and mental health worsened, and chronic conditions became more common. But the most breathtaking statistic? Children in the US were 80% more likely to die than those born in other similarly wealthy countries. Whether it's death rates, chronic disease, mental health or any of the 170 measures captured in the study, the overall message is a crisis in children's health, says its lead author, Christopher Forrest, a pediatrician and health outcomes researcher at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
NDTV
08-07-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Obesity, Chronic Illnesses, And Mental Health: Study Says US Children Are Sicker Than Ever
The foundation of a nation's health and prosperity lies in the well-being of its children. However, a concerning trend has emerged in the US, where children's health has declined over the past 17 years, with alarming increases in obesity, chronic diseases, and mental health issues like depression, threatening their future and the nation's prosperity. The study titled as," Trends in US Children's Mortality, Chronic Conditions, Obesity, Functional Status, and Symptoms" suggests that, "the health of US children has worsened across a wide range of health indicator domains over the past 17 years. The broad scope of this deterioration highlights the need to identify and address the root causes of this fundamental decline in the nation's health." Much of what researchers found was already known, but the study paints a comprehensive picture by examining various aspects of children's physical and mental health at the same time. "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," said Dr. Christopher Forrest, one of the authors of the study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has brought children's health to the forefront of the national policy conversation, unveiling in May a much-anticipated "Make America Healthy Again" report that described kids as undernourished and overmedicated, and raised concerns about their lack of physical activity. But the Trump administration's actions - including cuts to federal health agencies, Medicaid and scientific research - are not likely to reverse the trend, according to outside experts who reviewed Monday's study. "The health of kids in America is not as good as it should be, not as good as the other countries, and the current policies of this administration are definitely going to make it worse," said Dr. Frederick Rivara, a pediatrician and researcher at the Seattle Children's Hospital and UW Medicine in Seattle. He co-authored an editorial accompanying the new study. Forrest and his colleagues analyzed surveys, electronic health records from 10 pediatric health systems and international mortality statistics. Among their findings: Obesity rates for US children 2-19 years old rose from 17% in 2007-2008 to about 21% in 2021-2023. A US child in 2023 was 15% to 20% more likely than a U.S. child in 2011 to have a chronic condition such as anxiety, depression or sleep apnea, according to data reported by parents and doctors. Annual prevalence rates for 97 chronic conditions recorded by doctors rose from about 40% in 2011 to about 46% in 2023. Early onset of menstruation, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and loneliness also increased among American kids during the study period. American children were around 1.8 times more likely to die than kids in other high-income countries from 2007-2022. Being born premature and sudden unexpected death were much higher among U.S. infants, and firearm-related incidents and motor vehicle crashes were much more common among 1-19-year-old American kids than among those the same age in other countries examined.
Medscape
08-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
US Children's Health Has Declined Over 17 Years: Report
The health of US children has worsened steadily from 2007 to 2023 with higher mortality, and more chronic physical, developmental, and mental health conditions, warned a report released in JAMA. Researchers, led by Christopher B. Forrest, MD, PhD, with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, analyzed data using mortality statistics from the US and 18 comparator high-income nations from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD18), five national surveys, and electronic health records from 10 pediatric health systems (PEDSnet). They found that from 2007 to 2022, 'infants born in the US were 78% more likely to die when compared with their counterparts in other high-income countries.' Among key findings of the analysis are: As of 2022, mortality rates for US infants and 1- to 19-year-olds were 1.78 and 1.8 times greater, respectively, than for those in other OECD countries. The two causes of death for infants 12 months or younger in the US with the largest increased risk over OECD countries were prematurity (relative risk [RR], 2.22) and sudden unexpected infant death (RR, 2.39). The two causes of death for 1- to 19-year-olds with the largest increased risk over OECD countries were firearm-related incidents (RR, 15.34) and motor vehicle crashes (RR, 2.45). A child in the US in 2023 was 15%-20% more likely to have a chronic condition than a child in the US in 2011. Obesity rates for 2- to 19-year-olds in the US increased from 5.2% in 1971-1974 to 19.3% by 2017-2018. Depressive symptoms (feeling sad or hopeless) increased from 26.1% prevalence in 9th- to 12th-graders in 2009 to 39.7% in 2023. Loneliness feelings among US 12- to 18-year-olds rose significantly from 20.2% in 2007 to 30.8% in 2021. 'Without decisive action to change the trajectory, the US health disadvantage is likely to worsen,' wrote Editorialist Elizabeth R. Wolf, MD, MPH, with the Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and colleagues. 'Policymakers who are invested in enhancing children's health must intervene.' The editorialists noted that it has been well-documented that US residents have lower life expectancy and worse health outcomes than those in other high-income countries, despite spending nearly twice as much relative to gross domestic product than average spending by OECD countries. Gap Seen in Adult Health Has Spread to Children Now, they wrote, 'Evidence is mounting that the US health disadvantage, a phenomenon that had been restricted to adults, has now spread to the pediatric population.' Among the root causes of challenges to children's health noted by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council is poverty and the US has some of the highest child poverty rates and income inequality in the OECD, the editorialists noted. 'Poverty leads families to prioritize inexpensive calorie-dense foods that contribute to obesity and to drive older vehicles with fewer safety features, increasing crash injuries,' Wolf and colleagues wrote. 5% of Children Uninsured Additionally, the editorial stated, about 5% of US children do not have insurance, and the 40% of US children with public insurance have limited access to primary and specialist care because of poor reimbursement rates and poor investment in primary care. Interventions could include investing in child tax credits, broadening health insurance coverage, investing in primary care, and passing firearm safety laws, they wrote. The editorialists wrote that while the government's Make America Healthy Again movement draws important attention to chronic diseases and the dietary threats of ultra-processed foods, other policies 'will work against the health interests of children.' For example, in addition to proposed cuts in Medicaid in the current domestic policy bill signed into law last week, they wrote, 'Budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services have led to the elimination of injury prevention and maternal and child health programs. The tiny investment in the Safe to Sleep campaign that addresses the primary preventable cause of SUID [Sudden Unexpected Infant Death] was canceled.' Leslie Sude, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, who was not involved with the report, told Medscape Medical News the decline in children's health won't change 'until transformative, high-level changes are made to social and health policies affecting family well-being.' Pediatricians will continue to guide families on healthy habits, she said, 'but will struggle against grim realities which result from dwindling supports for low-income families, failed gun laws, and under resourced early childhood education.' Health systems could support broader services 'to colocate health promoting services within primary care centers, such as behavioral health, lactation, nutrition, and health-related social needs navigation to reduce access barriers. Health systems must advocate for policies at the highest levels for robust investment in improving the US ecosystem for family well-being,' she added. Not Enough Services for Kids in Crisis US children also struggle to get the mental health help they need, noted Yann Poncin, MD, associate professor and vice chair of clinical affairs in the Child Study Center at Yale, who also was not part of the study. 'Data show that kids who access mental health when they need it do better. Instead, there are often wait lists.' But there are positive developments, he added, such as states implementing crisis support services, he noted. 'In addition, we as other states do, have [Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Programs], a service whereby a pediatrician can call to get help with referrals or to speak with a child psychiatrist for guidance on medications.' He added that there are several evidence-based interventions for schools. 'Even just brief groups at the start of high school that deliver information about stressors at school and life in general can reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression, substance use, suicidality,' he said.
Los Angeles Times
07-07-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
American kids have become increasingly unhealthy over nearly two decades, new study finds
The health of U.S. children has deteriorated over the past 17 years, with kids today more likely to have obesity, chronic diseases and mental health problems like depression, a new study says. Much of what researchers found was already known, but the study paints a comprehensive picture by examining various aspects of children's physical and mental health at the same time. '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,' said Dr. Christopher Forrest, one of the authors of the study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought children's health to the forefront of the national policy conversation, unveiling in May a much-anticipated 'Make America Healthy Again' report that described children as undernourished and overmedicated, and raised concerns about their lack of physical activity. But the Trump administration's actions — including cuts to federal health agencies, Medicaid and scientific research — are not likely to reverse the trend, according to outside experts who reviewed Monday's study. 'The health of kids in America is not as good as it should be, not as good as the other countries, and the current policies of this administration are definitely going to make it worse,' said Dr. Frederick Rivara, a pediatrician and researcher at the Seattle Children's Hospital and UW Medicine in Seattle. He co-authored an editorial accompanying the new study. Forrest and his colleagues analyzed surveys, electronic health records from 10 pediatric health systems and international mortality statistics. Among their findings: — Obesity rates for U.S. children 2-19 years old rose from 17% in 2007-2008 to about 21% in 2021-2023. — A U.S. child in 2023 was 15% to 20% more likely than a U.S. child in 2011 to have a chronic condition such as anxiety, depression or sleep apnea, according to data reported by parents and doctors. — Annual prevalence rates for 97 chronic conditions recorded by doctors rose from about 40% in 2011 to about 46% in 2023. — Early onset of menstruation, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and loneliness also increased among American children during the study period. — American children were around 1.8 times more likely to die than children in other high-income countries from 2007-2022. Being born premature and sudden unexpected death were much higher among U.S. infants, and firearm-related incidents and motor vehicle crashes were much more common among 1-19-year-old American kids than among those the same age in other countries examined. The research points to bigger problems with America's health, said Forrest, who is a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 'Kids are the canaries in the coal mine,' he said. ' When kids' health changes, it's because they're at increased vulnerability, and it reflects what's happening in society at large.' The timing of the study, he said, is 'completely fortuitous.' Well before the 2024 presidential election, Forrest was working on a book about thriving over the life span and couldn't find this sort of comprehensive data on children's health. The datasets analyzed have some limitations and may not be applicable to the full U.S. population, noted Dr. James Perrin, a pediatrician and spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, who wasn't involved in the study. 'The basic finding is true,' he said. The editorial published alongside the study said while the administration's MAHA movement is bringing welcome attention to chronic diseases, 'it is pursuing other policies that will work against the interests of children.' Those include eliminating injury prevention and maternal health programs, canceling investments in a campaign addressing sudden infant death and 'fueling vaccine hesitancy among parents that may lead to a resurgence of deadly vaccine-preventable diseases,' authors wrote. Officials from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department did not respond to a request for comment. Forrest said risks highlighted by the MAHA report, such as eating too much ultra-processed food, are real but miss the complex reality driving trends in children's health. 'We have to step back and take some lessons from the ecological sustainability community and say: Let's look at the ecosystem that kids are growing up in. And let's start on a kind of neighborhood-by-neighborhood, city-by-city basis, examining it,' he said. Ungar and Aleccia write for the Associated Press. The AP Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Hill
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
American kids have become increasingly unhealthy over nearly two decades, new study finds
The health of U.S. children has deteriorated over the past 17 years, with kids today more likely to have obesity, chronic diseases and mental health problems like depression, a new study says. Much of what researchers found was already known, but the study paints a comprehensive picture by examining various aspects of children's physical and mental health at the same time. '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,' said Dr. Christopher Forrest, one of the authors of the study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought children's health to the forefront of the national policy conversation, unveiling in May a much-anticipated 'Make America Healthy Again' report that described kids as undernourished and overmedicated, and raised concerns about their lack of physical activity. But the Trump administration's actions — including cuts to federal health agencies, Medicaid and scientific research — are not likely to reverse the trend, according to outside experts who reviewed Monday's study. 'The health of kids in America is not as good as it should be, not as good as the other countries, and the current policies of this administration are definitely going to make it worse,' said Dr. Frederick Rivara, a pediatrician and researcher at the Seattle Children's Hospital and UW Medicine in Seattle. He co-authored an editorial accompanying the new study. Forrest and his colleagues analyzed surveys, electronic health records from 10 pediatric health systems and international mortality statistics. Among their findings: — Obesity rates for U.S. children 2-19 years old rose from 17% in 2007-2008 to about 21% in 2021-2023. — A U.S. child in 2023 was 15% to 20% more likely than a U.S. child in 2011 to have a chronic condition such as anxiety, depression or sleep apnea, according to data reported by parents and doctors. — Annual prevalence rates for 97 chronic conditions recorded by doctors rose from about 40% in 2011 to about 46% in 2023. — Early onset of menstruation, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and loneliness also increased among American kids during the study period. — American children were around 1.8 times more likely to die than kids in other high-income countries from 2007-2022. Being born premature and sudden unexpected death were much higher among U.S. infants, and firearm-related incidents and motor vehicle crashes were much more common among 1-19-year-old American kids than among those the same age in other countries examined. The research points to bigger problems with America's health, said Forrest, who is a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 'Kids are the canaries in the coal mine,' he said. ' When kids' health changes, it's because they're at increased vulnerability, and it reflects what's happening in society at large.' The timing of the study, he said, is 'completely fortuitous.' Well before the 2024 presidential election, Forrest was working on a book about thriving over the life span and couldn't find this sort of comprehensive data on children's health. The datasets analyzed have some limitations and may not be applicable to the full U.S. population, noted Dr. James Perrin, a pediatrician and spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, who wasn't involved in the study. 'The basic finding is true,' he said. The editorial published alongside the study said while the administration's MAHA movement is bringing welcome attention to chronic diseases, 'it is pursuing other policies that will work against the interests of children.' Those include eliminating injury prevention and maternal health programs, canceling investments in a campaign addressing sudden infant death and 'fueling vaccine hesitancy among parents that may lead to a resurgence of deadly vaccine-preventable diseases,' authors wrote. Officials from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department did not respond to a request for comment. Forrest said risks highlighted by the MAHA report, such as eating too much ultra-processed food, are real but miss the complex reality driving trends in children's health. 'We have to step back and take some lessons from the ecological sustainability community and say: Let's look at the ecosystem that kids are growing up in. And let's start on a kind of neighborhood-by-neighborhood, city-by-city basis, examining it,' he said. ____ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
