Causes of disease in children

Obesity, diabetes, cancers, asthma, allergies, autoimmune diseases, behavioral disorders.

Drivers

a combination of factors, food, chemical exposure, medications, changes in lifestyle and behavior, physical activity, sleep,
the use of technology.

The food American children are eating

Most American children’s diets are dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs)

Lacking sufficient intakes of fruits and vegetables.

UPFs has led to a depletion of essential micronutrients and dietary fiber

(Vit D, Bs and C, Zn, Mg, Se, I, omega 3s, amino acids)

Nearly 70% of an American child’s calories today comes from ultra-processed food, many of which are designed to override satiety

(increased from zero 100 years ago)

UPFs makeup over 50% of the diets of pregnant and postpartum mothers.

American children’s exposure to environmental chemicals

Cumulative load of thousands of synthetic chemicals

From food, water, air
Including neurodevelopmental and endocrine effects.

Over 40,000 chemicals are registered for use in the U.S.

Pesticides, microplastics, dioxins, commonly found in blood and urine of
children and pregnant women—some at alarming levels.

Children are particularly vulnerable to chemicals

Utero, infancy, early childhood, and puberty.

Current risk assessment methods, may not allow us to fully understand how these exposures affect human health.

Children’s pervasive technology use

Past 40 years

Over the past four decades, children have transitioned from an active, play-based childhood to a sedentary, technology-driven lifestyle.

Specifically, increased screen time, reduced physical activity, psychosocial stressors like loneliness, chronic stress, and sleep deprivation.

Teens average nearly 9 hours of non-school screen time each day.

Over 70% of children, and 85% of teens, fail to meet the 2024 federal guideline of 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Nearly 80% of U.S. high school students do not sleep at least 8 hours per night, up from 69% in 2009.

2009, 69% high school students do not sleep at least 8 hours per night

Now its 80%

Persistent sadness and hopelessness among U.S. high school students surged between 2011 to 2021 from 28% to 42%

Female students’ suicidal ideation rising from 19% to 30%.

In 2024, 73% of 16–24-year-olds reported loneliness,

15% of young men having no close friendships,

a fivefold increase since 1990.

Teens using social media over 3 hours daily face double the risk of anxiety and depression,

a 2022 meta-analysis showing each additional hour increases depression risk by 13%

American children are highly medicated – and it’s not working

The health system has aggressively responded to these increases in childhood chronic disease with increasing rates of pharmaceutical drug prescriptions,

which may cause further harm

Stimulant prescriptions for ADHD in the U.S. increased 250% from 2006 to 2016, despite evidence they did not improve outcomes long-term.

Antidepressant prescription rates in teens increased by 1,400% between 1987 and 2014,

even though a systematic overview shows that psychotherapy is just as effective as drugs in the short term, and potentially more effective in the long term.

Antipsychotic prescriptions for children increased by 800% between 1993 and 2009, with most of these medications prescribed for conditions not approved by the FDA for use in children.

Studies find that more than 35% (more than 15 million prescriptions) of childhood antibiotics are unnecessary

infants exposed to antibiotics in first 2 years of life are more likely to develop asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, celiac disease, obesity, and ADHD.

Corporate Capture and the Revolving Door

Perverse incentives that impact the regulatory bodies and federal agencies tasked with overseeing them

Government funding has been a small portion of the totality of research dollars being spent on chronic childhood disease.

The majority is funded by the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical, as well as special interest Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and professional associations.

Examples

The food industry funds the bulk of research in the field.

A BMJ analysis found that industry spent over $60 billion on drug, biotechnology, and device research in nutrition science;

by comparison, the government spends an estimated $1.5 billion on nutrition research.

Concerningly, industry-funded nutrition research may bias conclusions in favor of sponsors’ products.

Moreover, one analysis reported that 95% of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee members had financial ties to food and pharmaceutical companies.

The chemical-manufacturing industry

Spent roughly $77 million on federal lobbying activities in 2024,

while 60% of their lobbyists previously held federal posts.

More than 10,000 thousand chemicals listed on the EPA’s inventory are designated as confidential, and generic chemical names are used to identify them.

The pharmaceutical industry,

1999 to 2018

Spent $4.7 billion on lobbying expenditures at the federal level,

more than any other industry.

9 out of the last 10 FDA commissioners have gone on to work for the pharmaceutical industry.

70% of FDA the medical reviewers — have gone on to work for the pharmaceutical industry.

Over 80% of clinical departments and teaching hospitals at U.S. medical schools receive some degree of pharmaceutical funding,

Half of the total costs for continuing medical education (CME) is funded by industry.

2010 and 2022

Industry provided $6 billion to over 20,000 patient advocacy organizations.