In recent years, families and health professionals alike have raised concerns about children’s well-being — from rising obesity rates to persistent fatigue and chronic conditions showing up earlier in life.
A large-scale study published this month in JAMA confirms that these concerns are part of a broader, long-term trend.
Researchers analyzed national survey data on U.S. children’s health spanning 2006 to 2020, representing more than 200,000 participants. The study found that children’s health has declined across multiple indicators over the past 17 years. These included increases in chronic conditions, functional limitations, obesity and daily symptoms such as fatigue, pain and difficulties with focus or sleep.
The researchers noted that these patterns reflect what they called a “steady and pervasive” decline in child health. In particular, they found a significant rise in the number of children experiencing multiple health issues at once — including those with co-occurring chronic conditions and functional difficulties. Obesity rates also increased steadily over the study period.
While the study did not investigate underlying causes, the authors emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing the root drivers of these worsening trends. They also noted persistent disparities in health outcomes by income and insurance status, with children from lower-income families and those with public insurance more likely to experience poor health across multiple domains.
The findings do not point to any one explanation, but they underscore the importance of preventive care, early intervention and long-term health promotion efforts that begin in childhood. Experts have previously pointed to a range of potential contributors to pediatric health trends, including physical activity patterns, mental health, environmental exposures and diet quality — but these were not directly examined in the study.
For families, the findings may serve as a prompt to consider how everyday routines, access to care and structural supports influence children’s health over time. As the authors noted, understanding what’s behind the decline is essential to reversing it.