A survey released this week indicates that U.S. adults rate “not enough exercise” as their leading concern for children’s health. The survey, the National Poll on Children’s Health, was conducted by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. The results are culled from a nationally representative household survey and reflect health concerns that Adults have for children and teens.
According to a C.S. Mott report on the the survey, “not enough exercise” has, surprisingly, never topped their list, though 39% of survey respondents considered it their top concern this year. From the report:
“Not enough exercise” is new to the top of the list of biggest child health problems, as measured in the Poll. From 2007 to 2011, childhood obesity, drug abuse and smoking have consistently been rated as the top 3 health problems for kids from the perspective of adults (not just parents) across the United States.
Childhood obesity was still a major concern, coming in at the number two spot with 38% considering it a “big problem” for children’s health. Smoking and drug abuse were also considered a big problem, with over 30% of survey respondents. Bullying rounds out the overall top five, concerning 29% of adults.
The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has released a helpful infographic listing the top ten concerns cited in the survey. As you can see below, the list is also parsed out by ethnic group. Though different concerns top the race-specific lists, adult concerns for children’s health are generally uniform, except for the worrying 27% of black adults concerned about childhood racial inequality and gun-related injuries.
