A new study has revealed a deeply troubling reality: children in the United States are dying at a much higher rate than their peers in other developed countries.
Published on July 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study found that American children aged 1 to 19 are 1.8 times more likely to die than children in comparable nations. Infants in the U.S. are also 1.78 times more likely to die than those born elsewhere in the developed world.
Lead author Dr. Chris Forrest, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, described the findings as a “canary in the coal mine,” warning that the health of the country’s youngest generation reflects deeper, systemic issues.
The study analyzed health trends from 2007 to 2023 and found a broad decline in child well-being across the board. In addition to the elevated mortality rate, U.S. children were found to be 14% more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, speech delays, and behavioral disorders.
Firearm-related deaths and motor vehicle crashes were two key drivers behind the higher death rate among older children and teens — both largely preventable causes of death that occur far more frequently in the U.S. than in similar countries.
These alarming differences amount to roughly 54 additional child deaths per day in the U.S., compared to what would be expected if American rates matched those of peer nations. Notably, child mortality rates in the U.S. once mirrored other countries back in the 1960s, but that gap has steadily widened over time.
Dr. Forrest emphasized that the issue goes far beyond individual lifestyle choices. “It’s not just the chemicals, or the food, or the smartphones,” he told CNN. “It’s a much deeper problem. It’s about the developmental ecosystem — where kids live, learn, play, and grow.”
He pointed out that children are often born into families already struggling with poor health and instability. “Women are suffering in this country too,” he said. “If a child is born into a household where the mother is already unhealthy or under stress, that child is already at a disadvantage.”
The rise in chronic health conditions was also stark. From 2011 to 2023, the percentage of American children diagnosed with at least one chronic issue jumped from 39.9% to 45.7%, the study found.
Dr. Forrest warned that the nation cannot afford to ignore these signs: “When children’s health deteriorates, the foundation of our entire society is weakening.”
The report comes as the Make America Healthy Again Commission, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., continues investigating environmental and food-related contributors to the nation’s health decline. But Dr. Forrest insists the challenge is broader: “This is a national problem — and it demands a national response.”
