A sweeping new study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that the overall health of American children has significantly deteriorated over the past 17 years. The report reveals a marked rise in obesity, chronic physical illnesses, and mental health disorders among children and adolescents, placing the U.S. behind other high-income countries in several critical health indicators.

The analysis, led by Dr. Christopher Forrest of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, examined 170 indicators from eight major data sources, including national health surveys, electronic medical records from 10 pediatric health systems, and international mortality statistics. The findings reveal a widespread and sustained decline in child health outcomes between 2007 and 2023.

According to the report, obesity rates among children aged 2 to 19 increased from 17% in 2007–2008 to approximately 21% by 2021–2023. At the same time, the prevalence of chronic conditions such as anxiety, depression, and sleep apnea rose by 15% to 20% compared to a decade earlier. Medical diagnoses of chronic health issues also climbed, with rates increasing from 40% in 2011 to 46% in 2023.

The study also documented higher rates of early menstruation, poor sleep, physical limitations, and feelings of loneliness and depression in children. Mortality rates for American children were nearly double those of their peers in other high-income nations during the same period. U.S. infants were significantly more likely to die from premature birth or sudden unexpected infant death, while children and teens experienced far higher fatality rates from firearm incidents and car accidents.

“The surprising part of the study wasn’t any single statistic,” said Forrest. “It was that all of them — 170 in total — pointed in the same direction: a generalized decline in kids’ health.”

The release of the findings comes amid renewed political attention to childhood health issues. In May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, calling attention to concerns about childhood nutrition, medication overuse, and sedentary lifestyles. However, health policy experts argue that recent federal decisions — including cuts to Medicaid, federal health agencies, and research funding — are unlikely to improve the trajectory.

Dr. Frederick Rivara of Seattle Children’s Hospital, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study, stated, “The health of kids in America is not as good as it should be, not as good as in other countries, and the current policies of this administration are definitely going to make it worse.”

The editorial further criticized MAHA-linked efforts to roll back federal investments in injury prevention and maternal health, cancel programs targeting sudden infant death, and promote vaccine hesitancy, warning these moves could lead to preventable surges in disease and injury.

Outside experts reviewing the study, including American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson Dr. James Perrin, acknowledged limitations in the datasets but endorsed the central conclusions. “The basic finding is true,” he said.

The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to media requests for comment.

Forrest emphasized the need to move beyond simplistic narratives and view children’s health as a reflection of broader societal conditions. “Kids are the canaries in the coal mine,” he said. “When their health deteriorates, it signals deeper problems in the ecosystem they’re growing up in.”

He called for a localized, systems-level approach to restoring children’s health, beginning with comprehensive assessments of communities across the country.