Just One in 10 Children Meet National Public Health Guidelines, Feinstein Institutes Research Finds

More than 49,000 children and adolescents in the United States were analyzed for their adherence to recommended physical activity, sleep and screen time within 24 hours

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Studies have shown that 27 percent of children in the United States have a chronic health condition while national rates of obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues continue to increase among children and adolescents.

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has published new data in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which calculated the national prevalence estimates of children and adolescents who meet the guidelines for physical activity, recreational screen time, and sleep. The data revealed disparities in achieving those individual goals and supports the need to develop guidelines for a healthy 24-hour regimen.

Research led by Ciarán Friel,​ EdD, an assistant investigator in the Center for Personalized Health at the Feinstein Institutes, and supported by colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center, analyzed the 2016–2017 National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally representative sample of U.S. children and adolescents. Their results show that fewer than one in 10 children/adolescents met all three guidelines (for physical activity, sleep, and screen time). However, a majority, 91.2 percent, have met at least one recommendation. Most achieved the recommended amount of sleep (86 percent), but a much lower percentage met guidelines for physical activity (23 percent) and screen time (33 percent).

The proportion of children meeting all three guidelines substantially decreased with age, with fewer than 3 percent of 17-year-olds meeting all three. In regards to sex, 7.8 percent of females met all three guidelines, compared to 9.7 percent of males. Regarding race, 10.1 percent of white, 4.8 percent of Black, and 6.1 percent of Asian children/adolescents met all three guidelines.

The most significant declines in meeting physical activity and screen time guidelines were from age 10 to 11 years and was primarily driven by increased use of electronic devices, which suggests to researchers that efforts to emphasize physical activity and screen time reduction may be warranted during these formative years.

The results indicate that most adolescents are transitioning into adulthood with poor movement behaviors across a 24-hour period and those shortcomings may likely predispose them to heightened health risks at an early age.

“We know sleep, physical activity and limiting screen time are integral for a child’s development, and our findings shine a harsh light that most kids aren’t following through on the recommended time for all three,” said Dr. Friel. “We hope this research can be used to support the push towards developing national guidelines across the full 24 hours of each day to help our youth adopt healthy habits which will stick with them for a lifetime.”

Historically, through public health initiatives, individual recommendations for physical activity, sedentary time and sleep have been set, however, there is no one standard guideline for all three combined in the U.S. Most public health recommendations have focused on moderate to vigorous physical activity as a means to promote children’s health. Yet even if a child meets physical activity recommendations, it only comprises less than 4 percent of the day.

This new research indicates a shift toward the need for a more integrated model to incorporate 24-hour movement behaviors that will optimize overall health rather than focusing on one single specific behavior. This type of model will be especially relevant as we move through and beyond the current pandemic.

“Unfortunately, the physical and mental wellbeing our nation’s youth continues to decline,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, CEO and president of the Feinstein Institutes. “Dr. Friel and his team’s findings are valuable to develop a more targeted plan and improve the health of our children as they grow into adulthood.”

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Home to 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health innovations and outcomes, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.