U.S. kids’ health has declined since 2007, study finds

U.S. children’s health declined from 2007 to 2022, with infants and children more likely to die from prematurity, sudden unexpected death for infants, firearm-related incidents and motor vehicle crashes than children in other higher-income countries, a study found. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study also found from 2011 to 2023, the prevalence of 3- to 17-year-olds in the U.S. with a chronic condition grew from 39.9% to 45.7%, according to electronic medical records from 10 U.S. health systems. Rates of obesity, early onset of menstruation, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms and loneliness rose in U.S. youth. The authors call for further research to “identify and address the root causes of this fundamental decline in the nation’s health.” (JAMA Network Open article, 7/7/25)