A Healthy Start
Promise 3
All children need and deserve healthy bodies, healthy minds and healthful habits. These result from regular health check-ups and needed treatment, good nutrition and exercise, healthy skills and knowledge, and good role models of physical and psychological health.
With increased attention on such issues as upsurges in childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes, Americans have a raised awareness of the importance of a healthy start as a critical developmental resource in a child’s life. Nevertheless, we are falling far short of keeping this Promise. Nine million young people today remain without health insurance. Babies born in the U.S. are less likely to survive until their first birthday than those in 27 other industrialized nations. One in 11 high school students reports attempting suicide.
According to Every Child, Every Promise:
- Only 43% of our young people are experiencing this Promise
- More than one-third of teens lack the critical combination of components that make for good health care: health insurance coverage and annual visits to a doctor and a dentist
- 65% of young people say they wish they knew of more stores and restaurants that sold more healthy foods and drinks
- Almost 80% of children report feeling stressed each month. One in four say they feel stressed at least once each day
Learn more about our National Action Strategies to bring more Promises to 15 million children in five years.