CHILDREN AND TEENS FACE A R ANGE OF OBSTACLES TO GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HE ALTH BUT
ARE SEEING BENEFITS FROM PROGRESS IN RESE ARCH AND TRE ATMENT.
Pediatric Snapshot
PREMATURE DEATH
The Obesity Tsunami
Worldwide, approximately 32 million
children ages 0–5 years were overweight or
obese in 1990. That increased to 41 million
by 2016 and is expected to rise to 70 million
by 2025 if current trends continue.
MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES
Sources: American Cancer Society, Reuters, The Annie E. Casey
Foundation, World Health Organization
Death rates from all causes among Americans ages
1–19 have crept up in recent years.
2014:
24 per 100,000
2015:
25 per 100,000
2016:
26 per 100,000
More than
20% of all children
in the United States
are reported to have
conditions such as
ADHD, depression,
anxiety, or other
behavioral or mental
health issues.
1976: 58%
2016: 80%
Oncologic Toll
The roughly 10,300 children younger
than 15 who are diagnosed with cancer each
year in the United States represent less
than 1% of all annual U.S. cancer diagnoses.
However, rates have risen slightly in recent
decades, and approximately 1,200 American
children die from cancer each year.
BY STEVE BARRETT
21%
79%
SURVIVAL TRAJECTORY
Five-year survival rates for children with cancer
have improved over the past four decades, thanks
to signifi cant advances in treatment.
SPECIAL
CLINICAL
SECTION:
PEDIATRICS
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