🙌 CHILDREN’S HEALTH IS DECLINING. HERE’S WHY IT MATTERS MORE THAN EVER!

A look at how kids’ physical and emotional health has changed over the past 50 years and what we can do about it.

As parents, caregivers, or professionals working with children, we all want to raise healthy, happy, resilient kids. But the truth is, raising a healthy child in today’s world isn’t as simple as it used to be.

It’s no longer just about making sure they eat their vegetables or get to bed on time.

It’s about navigating a world where overstimulation, processed foods, emotional disconnection, and chronic stress have become the new normal.

And we’re seeing the effects clearly, consistently, and globally.

📊 The data shows (U.S., past 50 years):

🔴 Childhood obesity has tripled.

In the early 1970s, about 5% of American children aged 2–19 were classified as obese.

Today, that number is close to 19%. It’s nearly one in five kids. This isn’t just a cosmetic concern; it’s linked to long-term risks like diabetes, heart disease, and mental health struggles.

🔴 Chronic conditions are on the rise.

The number of children living with chronic illnesses, such as asthma, ADHD, diabetes, and developmental disorders, has jumped from 12.8% in 1994 to over 26% by 2006.

By 2023, around 46% of U.S. children had been diagnosed with at least one chronic or behavioral condition.

🔴 Mental health is a growing crisis.

From 2016 to 2020:

Diagnosed anxiety among children rose by 29%.

Depression diagnoses rose by 27%.

At the same time, regular physical activity fell from 24.2% to just 19.8%.

🔴 U.S. Child mortality is higher than peer nations.

Children in the U.S. are now almost twice as likely to die before age 20 as those in other high-income countries. The leading causes? Gun violence, car accidents, and preventable chronic conditions.

💡 It means that raising a child today demands more awareness, intentionality, and support than ever before.

It means that physical health and emotional resilience need to be nurtured side by side.

And it means we, as parents, educators, and health professionals, can play a proactive role in reversing these trends.

🛠️ Here are simple, powerful ways to support your child’s whole health:

🟢 Prioritize real food: less sugar, more color, quality fats, and protein.

🟢 Encourage daily movement: play, walk, stretch, jump, run, explore.

🟢 Protect sleep: routines, screen-free evenings, and calming rituals.

🟢 Create emotional safety: be a soft place to land. Listen more, fix less.

🟢 Model nervous system regulation: your calm becomes theirs.

🟢 Build routines with intention: predictability builds trust and security.

Today’s kids are growing up in a very different world than we did. They’re more digitally connected but less grounded in their bodies. They have more access to information, yet often lack the emotional tools to process it. They’re expected to do more, faster — but without enough rest, nourishment, or regulation.

The good news? Small changes make a big difference.

What your child eats, how they sleep, how you connect with them, these things matter. A lot.

And if you’re reading this, chances are you’re already doing more than you think.

Let’s raise children who don’t just survive — but thrive.

Healthy in body, grounded in mind, and strong in spirit.

With care,

Anna

Certified Holistic Health Coach