一項(xiàng)新研究指出,過(guò)去17年間,美國(guó)兒童的健康狀況不斷惡化,如今的孩子們出現(xiàn)肥胖、慢性疾病以及抑郁癥等心理健康問(wèn)題的可能性更高。
研究人員的許多發(fā)現(xiàn)是已知事實(shí),但該研究通過(guò)同時(shí)研究?jī)和硇慕】档母鱾€(gè)方面,描繪了一幅全面的圖景。
該研究的作者之一克里斯托弗·福雷斯特博士表示:“這項(xiàng)研究的驚人之處不在于任何單一統(tǒng)一數(shù)據(jù);而在于170項(xiàng)指標(biāo)、八大數(shù)據(jù)來(lái)源,都指向了同一件事:兒童健康狀況普遍下降,”該研究于周一發(fā)表于《美國(guó)醫(yī)學(xué)會(huì)雜志》(Journal of the American Medical Association)。
美國(guó)衛(wèi)生部長(zhǎng)小羅伯特·F·肯尼迪已將兒童健康列為國(guó)家政策討論的首要議題,他于5月份公布了一份備受期待的《讓美國(guó)再次健康》(Make America Healthy Again)報(bào)告。該報(bào)告稱美國(guó)兒童營(yíng)養(yǎng)不良且過(guò)度用藥,并對(duì)他們?nèi)狈w育活動(dòng)的狀況表示擔(dān)憂。然而,審閱了周一這項(xiàng)研究的獨(dú)立專家們認(rèn)為,特朗普政府采取的行動(dòng),包括削減聯(lián)邦衛(wèi)生機(jī)構(gòu)、醫(yī)療補(bǔ)助計(jì)劃和科研經(jīng)費(fèi),不太可能扭轉(zhuǎn)這一趨勢(shì)。
西雅圖兒童醫(yī)院(Seattle Children’s Hospital)及華盛頓大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院(UW Medicine)的兒科醫(yī)生兼研究員弗雷德里克·里瓦拉博士表示:“美國(guó)兒童的健康狀況未達(dá)到應(yīng)有的水平,甚至落后于其他國(guó)家,而本屆政府的現(xiàn)行政策無(wú)疑會(huì)讓情況變得更糟。”他與他人合著了伴隨這項(xiàng)新研究發(fā)表的社論。
福雷斯特及其同事分析了多項(xiàng)調(diào)查、來(lái)自10個(gè)兒科醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)的電子健康記錄以及國(guó)際死亡率統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù)。他們的發(fā)現(xiàn)包括:
— 美國(guó)2-19歲兒童的肥胖率從2007-2008年的17%上升到2021-2023年的約21%。
— 根據(jù)家長(zhǎng)和醫(yī)生報(bào)告的數(shù)據(jù),與2011年相比,2023年美國(guó)兒童患焦慮癥、抑郁癥或睡眠呼吸暫停等慢性疾病的可能性高出15%至20%。
— 醫(yī)生記錄的97種慢性病的年患病率從2011年的約40%上升到2023年的約46%。
— 在研究期間,美國(guó)兒童的月經(jīng)初潮提前、睡眠障礙、活動(dòng)受限、軀體癥狀、抑郁癥狀和孤獨(dú)感也有所增加。
— 2007年至2022年間,美國(guó)兒童的死亡率是其他高收入國(guó)家兒童的約1.8倍。美國(guó)嬰兒的早產(chǎn)率和夭折率更高;在1-19歲的美國(guó)兒童中,與槍支相關(guān)的事件和機(jī)動(dòng)車事故的發(fā)生率也遠(yuǎn)高于其他被研究國(guó)家的同齡兒童。
費(fèi)城兒童醫(yī)院(Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)的兒科醫(yī)生福雷斯特表示,這項(xiàng)研究揭示了美國(guó)健康領(lǐng)域更深層次的問(wèn)題。
他表示:“兒童就像是煤礦中的金絲雀。當(dāng)兒童的健康狀況發(fā)生變化時(shí),是因?yàn)樗麄兲幱诟哟嗳醯木车?,這反映了整個(gè)社會(huì)的現(xiàn)狀?!?/p>
他表示,這項(xiàng)研究的時(shí)機(jī)“純屬偶然”。早在2024年總統(tǒng)大選之前,福雷斯特就在撰寫一本關(guān)于人生各階段健康發(fā)展的書(shū),當(dāng)時(shí)他并未能找到這種關(guān)于兒童健康的全面數(shù)據(jù)。
美國(guó)兒科學(xué)會(huì)(American Academy of Pediatrics)的兒科醫(yī)生兼發(fā)言人詹姆斯·佩林博士指出,該項(xiàng)研究分析的數(shù)據(jù)集存在一定局限性,可能不適用于全美人口。他未參與這項(xiàng)研究。
他表示:“研究發(fā)現(xiàn)的基本事實(shí)是真實(shí)的?!?/p>
伴隨研究發(fā)表的社論指出,盡管政府的“讓美國(guó)再次健康”運(yùn)動(dòng)使慢性病問(wèn)題引起應(yīng)有的關(guān)注,但它“正在推行其他有損兒童利益的政策”。作者寫道,這些政策包括取消傷害預(yù)防和孕產(chǎn)婦健康項(xiàng)目,取消應(yīng)對(duì)嬰兒猝死癥宣傳運(yùn)動(dòng)的投資,以及“加劇了家長(zhǎng)對(duì)疫苗的猶豫,可能導(dǎo)致本可通過(guò)疫苗預(yù)防的致命疾病卷土重來(lái)”。
美國(guó)衛(wèi)生與公眾服務(wù)部(U.S. Health and Human Services Department)的官員未回應(yīng)置評(píng)請(qǐng)求。
福雷斯特表示,《讓美國(guó)再次健康》報(bào)告所強(qiáng)調(diào)的風(fēng)險(xiǎn),例如攝入過(guò)多超加工食品,是真實(shí)存在的,但忽略了影響兒童健康趨勢(shì)的復(fù)雜現(xiàn)實(shí)。
他表示:“我們必須退后一步,從生態(tài)可持續(xù)性領(lǐng)域汲取一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)教訓(xùn),然后說(shuō):讓我們審視一下孩子們成長(zhǎng)所在的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。讓我們開(kāi)始逐社區(qū)、逐城市地對(duì)其進(jìn)行考察?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
美聯(lián)社健康與科學(xué)部得到了霍華德休斯醫(yī)學(xué)研究所(Howard Hughes Medical Institute)科學(xué)教育部和羅伯特·伍德·約翰遜基金會(huì)(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)的支持。美聯(lián)社對(duì)所有內(nèi)容全權(quán)負(fù)責(zé)。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
一項(xiàng)新研究指出,過(guò)去17年間,美國(guó)兒童的健康狀況不斷惡化,如今的孩子們出現(xiàn)肥胖、慢性疾病以及抑郁癥等心理健康問(wèn)題的可能性更高。
研究人員的許多發(fā)現(xiàn)是已知事實(shí),但該研究通過(guò)同時(shí)研究?jī)和硇慕】档母鱾€(gè)方面,描繪了一幅全面的圖景。
該研究的作者之一克里斯托弗·福雷斯特博士表示:“這項(xiàng)研究的驚人之處不在于任何單一統(tǒng)一數(shù)據(jù);而在于170項(xiàng)指標(biāo)、八大數(shù)據(jù)來(lái)源,都指向了同一件事:兒童健康狀況普遍下降,”該研究于周一發(fā)表于《美國(guó)醫(yī)學(xué)會(huì)雜志》(Journal of the American Medical Association)。
美國(guó)衛(wèi)生部長(zhǎng)小羅伯特·F·肯尼迪已將兒童健康列為國(guó)家政策討論的首要議題,他于5月份公布了一份備受期待的《讓美國(guó)再次健康》(Make America Healthy Again)報(bào)告。該報(bào)告稱美國(guó)兒童營(yíng)養(yǎng)不良且過(guò)度用藥,并對(duì)他們?nèi)狈w育活動(dòng)的狀況表示擔(dān)憂。然而,審閱了周一這項(xiàng)研究的獨(dú)立專家們認(rèn)為,特朗普政府采取的行動(dòng),包括削減聯(lián)邦衛(wèi)生機(jī)構(gòu)、醫(yī)療補(bǔ)助計(jì)劃和科研經(jīng)費(fèi),不太可能扭轉(zhuǎn)這一趨勢(shì)。
西雅圖兒童醫(yī)院(Seattle Children’s Hospital)及華盛頓大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院(UW Medicine)的兒科醫(yī)生兼研究員弗雷德里克·里瓦拉博士表示:“美國(guó)兒童的健康狀況未達(dá)到應(yīng)有的水平,甚至落后于其他國(guó)家,而本屆政府的現(xiàn)行政策無(wú)疑會(huì)讓情況變得更糟?!彼c他人合著了伴隨這項(xiàng)新研究發(fā)表的社論。
福雷斯特及其同事分析了多項(xiàng)調(diào)查、來(lái)自10個(gè)兒科醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)的電子健康記錄以及國(guó)際死亡率統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù)。他們的發(fā)現(xiàn)包括:
— 美國(guó)2-19歲兒童的肥胖率從2007-2008年的17%上升到2021-2023年的約21%。
— 根據(jù)家長(zhǎng)和醫(yī)生報(bào)告的數(shù)據(jù),與2011年相比,2023年美國(guó)兒童患焦慮癥、抑郁癥或睡眠呼吸暫停等慢性疾病的可能性高出15%至20%。
— 醫(yī)生記錄的97種慢性病的年患病率從2011年的約40%上升到2023年的約46%。
— 在研究期間,美國(guó)兒童的月經(jīng)初潮提前、睡眠障礙、活動(dòng)受限、軀體癥狀、抑郁癥狀和孤獨(dú)感也有所增加。
— 2007年至2022年間,美國(guó)兒童的死亡率是其他高收入國(guó)家兒童的約1.8倍。美國(guó)嬰兒的早產(chǎn)率和夭折率更高;在1-19歲的美國(guó)兒童中,與槍支相關(guān)的事件和機(jī)動(dòng)車事故的發(fā)生率也遠(yuǎn)高于其他被研究國(guó)家的同齡兒童。
費(fèi)城兒童醫(yī)院(Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)的兒科醫(yī)生福雷斯特表示,這項(xiàng)研究揭示了美國(guó)健康領(lǐng)域更深層次的問(wèn)題。
他表示:“兒童就像是煤礦中的金絲雀。當(dāng)兒童的健康狀況發(fā)生變化時(shí),是因?yàn)樗麄兲幱诟哟嗳醯木车?,這反映了整個(gè)社會(huì)的現(xiàn)狀?!?/p>
他表示,這項(xiàng)研究的時(shí)機(jī)“純屬偶然”。早在2024年總統(tǒng)大選之前,福雷斯特就在撰寫一本關(guān)于人生各階段健康發(fā)展的書(shū),當(dāng)時(shí)他并未能找到這種關(guān)于兒童健康的全面數(shù)據(jù)。
美國(guó)兒科學(xué)會(huì)(American Academy of Pediatrics)的兒科醫(yī)生兼發(fā)言人詹姆斯·佩林博士指出,該項(xiàng)研究分析的數(shù)據(jù)集存在一定局限性,可能不適用于全美人口。他未參與這項(xiàng)研究。
他表示:“研究發(fā)現(xiàn)的基本事實(shí)是真實(shí)的。”
伴隨研究發(fā)表的社論指出,盡管政府的“讓美國(guó)再次健康”運(yùn)動(dòng)使慢性病問(wèn)題引起應(yīng)有的關(guān)注,但它“正在推行其他有損兒童利益的政策”。作者寫道,這些政策包括取消傷害預(yù)防和孕產(chǎn)婦健康項(xiàng)目,取消應(yīng)對(duì)嬰兒猝死癥宣傳運(yùn)動(dòng)的投資,以及“加劇了家長(zhǎng)對(duì)疫苗的猶豫,可能導(dǎo)致本可通過(guò)疫苗預(yù)防的致命疾病卷土重來(lái)”。
美國(guó)衛(wèi)生與公眾服務(wù)部(U.S. Health and Human Services Department)的官員未回應(yīng)置評(píng)請(qǐng)求。
福雷斯特表示,《讓美國(guó)再次健康》報(bào)告所強(qiáng)調(diào)的風(fēng)險(xiǎn),例如攝入過(guò)多超加工食品,是真實(shí)存在的,但忽略了影響兒童健康趨勢(shì)的復(fù)雜現(xiàn)實(shí)。
他表示:“我們必須退后一步,從生態(tài)可持續(xù)性領(lǐng)域汲取一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)教訓(xùn),然后說(shuō):讓我們審視一下孩子們成長(zhǎng)所在的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。讓我們開(kāi)始逐社區(qū)、逐城市地對(duì)其進(jìn)行考察?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
美聯(lián)社健康與科學(xué)部得到了霍華德休斯醫(yī)學(xué)研究所(Howard Hughes Medical Institute)科學(xué)教育部和羅伯特·伍德·約翰遜基金會(huì)(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)的支持。美聯(lián)社對(duì)所有內(nèi)容全權(quán)負(fù)責(zé)。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
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.