children

Previous attempts at quantifying the scope of food allergies among U.S. children have produced a wide range of estimates, from 2% to 8%. From a public health standpoint, getting more details on the main causes of causes of food allergies, and precise demographics of those afflicted, is crucial.

In this era of economic globalization, the race for innovation and future growth among nations has prompted a profound debate about how the U.S. is preparing its next generation of workers and leaders. While the United States has responded vigorously to global challengers in the past — the Soviet Union in the era of Sputnik, Japan in the 1980s — the potential for a dramatic loss of competitiveness is more acute than ever.

The United States has one of the highest obesity rates in the world, and the primary causes — unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise — are well known. However, the social, economic, psychological and policy factors underlying the problem are less clear.

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years, and its causes appear to be a complex mix of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Many assume that the consumption patterns and marketing relating to sugary drinks —  a well-known target in recent years for those campaigning to end childhood obesity — might have changed because of sustained scrutiny.

Estimates of the prevalence of childhood depression range from 1% to 2% of all children in the United States, and for adolescents this figure may be as high as 8%. While public awareness of this issue is growing, the long-term economic costs of childhood psychological trauma are largely unknown.

The U.N. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, one of the “Palermo protocols” adopted in 2000, was an attempt by the international community to address the growing problem of human trafficking. Since then, significant national and international resources have been devoted to its enforcement.

The fact that smoking has direct negative effects on health is well documented.  Smoking could also adversely impact the health of others in a family through substitution effects within a household’s expenditures.