Less pediatric screen time tied to better well-being

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

A higher amount of screen time per day is associated with decreased psychological well-being in children and adolescents, according to a study published in the December issue of Preventive Medicine Reports. (more)

Childhood physical inactivity reaches crisis levels around the globe

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

Children around the world are not moving enough to maintain healthy growth and development, according to a global report released today. The report by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) compared 49 countries from six continents to assess global trends in childhood physical activity in developed and developing nations, resulting in the “Global Matrix 3.0” comparison of grades. (more)

Estimated 2.5 percent of U.S. children diagnosed with autism

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

Using data from the nationally representative 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, Michael D. Kogan, Ph.D., from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in Rockville, Maryland, and colleagues collected parent-reported information on whether children had received an ASD diagnosis. Weighted prevalence estimates of ASD were calculated, and health experiences were compared between children with ASD and other children. (more)

Survey finds one in eight of five-to-19-year-olds had mental disorder in 2017

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

The University of Exeter has played a key role in a national survey which found that one in eight (12.8 percent) of children and young people aged between five and 19, surveyed in England in 2017, had a mental disorder. The finding is according to a major new report which provides England’s best source of data on trends in child mental health, with significant input from academics at Exeter. (more)

Weight likely cause for one-fourth of asthma cases in kids with obesity

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

A study including health data for more than 500,000 children in the U.S. suggests obesity might be to blame for about a quarter (23 to 27 percent) of asthma in children who are obese. This could mean about 10 percent of all kids ages 2 to 17 with asthma—almost 1 million children in the U.S.—might have avoided the illness by maintaining a healthy weight, according to researchers at Duke University and collaborators with the National Pediatric Learning Health System (PEDSnet). The findings will be published Nov. 26 by the journal Pediatrics. (more)