Causecast

by TRACY HELPER, Contributing Writer

Our children are our future, but in this day and age their health is being threatened more than ever. Between our American diet, pollution, and other toxins that have become a part of our environment, children are exceedingly exposed to things that make them sick during the most vulnerable stage of their life. To kick off our July focus on children, we wanted to share 10 things you should know about children’s health.

1. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children (ages two to five). For adolescents aged 12 to 19 the rate has more than tripled. Approximately nine million children over age 6 are considered obese in the U.S.

2. 70% of overweight children end up being overweight adults, where obese adults can lose 10 years off their life span.

3. Overweight children are more likely to endure high blood pressure and high cholesterol, meaning they are also increasing their chances for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

4. Type 2 diabetes, a disease once considered exclusive to adults, is now popping up immensely in children. As of 2008, roughly 23,000 privately insured children take medication for the disease. That has doubled since 2002 when 10,000 children were taking medication. This is largely due to the increase in the obesity rate in children. Even if they don’t get diagnosed as a child, more and more young adults are being diagnosed with the disease into their 20s and 30s.

5. Children in urban and suburban areas with limited access to outdoor parks are at greater risk for obesity than children who have access. Urban and poorer areas without parks and community spaces are usually the most disadvantaged and have higher rates of obesity.

6. Overweight children don’t only have to deal with physical ailments, often times they are teased and made fun of by their peers, leading to self esteem issues and depression. As of 2005 the rate of increase in depression among children was 23%.

7. The state of our environment is affecting children daily. As of 2006, 6.7 million children are suffering from asthma according to the EPA. It is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under 15 in the U.S. Most asthma is caused by allergies that inflame the lungs, but outdoor air pollution worsens existing asthma. According to the American Lung Association, outdoor pollutants that are known to trigger asthma attacks include ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

8. Young girls are entering puberty as early as seven or eight years old. Obesity and increased fat in young girls are considered possible culprits, but so are Endocrine disruptors (aka hormonally active agents such as pthalates, Bisphenol A, DDT, etc.). These are common ingredients found in commercial household and personal products. Learn more about chemicals in skin care products.

9. Three million children are estimated to have food allergies. This has risen 18 percent in the last decade according to the CDC. Hospitalization due to food allergies has increase from over 2,000 per year to over 9,000 per year since 1998. Many processed foods contain nuts, whey, soy, and other high allergy items that are not found in unprocessed forms of the same food. Children with food allergies are also more likely to have asthma, eczema, and other respiratory problems.

10. Autism is the nation’s fastest growing development disorder. The cause is not known, but it is likely that both genetics and environmental factors are involved. One leading suspect is the mercury that is found in the childhood vaccines. Causecast leader Jenny McCarthy founded Generation Rescue and supports Green the Vaccine, a group dedicated to removing this toxin from vaccines. In February of 2009, a special federal court ruled that there was no proven link between early childhood vaccinations and autism.

Photo by Carlsonimkeller, flickr