In the last three decades, chronic health problems including obesity, asthma and behavioral and learning problems have been steadily increasing among children. To get a hold of the magnitude of the problem, researchers from MassGeneral Hospital for Children analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Cohort, gathered between 1988 and 2006. In their analysis of more than 5,000 children, they found that, in 1994, 12.8% of suffered from chronic health problems; by 2006, that figure had more than doubled to 26.6%. For the most part, this latest snapshot contributes to growing evidence of an upward trend in childhood asthma, as well as growth of childhood obesity, followed by a leveling off most recently. Still, the study authors point out that some of the significant increase in chronic conditions may reflect higher levels of diagnosis. What’s more, they emphasize, their findings also point to the dynamic nature of many conditions—certain problems, such as behavioral or learning challenges, for example, may be treated and overcome during childhood. This remittance factor highlights a critical area for future research, the authors say, to better help public health officials and medical professionals understand what distinguishes the kids who overcome their chronic conditions from those who don’t.
