Adults surveyed for a new poll rank childhood obesity as the top health concern for kids.
More than two thousand adults were surveyed for the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
Director Matt Davis says obesity, smoking and drug abuse top the list of health concerns adults have about children.
“However, when it comes to adults concerns about kids across the country,” Davis says, “We also find they are concerned about school violence and gun related injuries at rates that are much higher than their levels of concern about those issues in their own communities.”
But he says there are differences between whites, blacks and Hispanics on other health issues.
“African-American respondents were much more concerned about issues to violence in their communities and across the country,” says Davis, “Whereas Latino respondents are much more concerned about for stress for youth overall.”
Here are the overall top ten ranking in the poll:
LOCAL COMMUNITY | ACROSS THE U.S. |
Childhood obesity-29 % | Childhood obesity-55% |
Smoking and tobacco use-26% | Bullying-52% |
Drug Abuse-26% | Drug Abuse-49% |
Bullying-23 % | Smoking and tobacco use-47% |
Stress-22% | School violence-44% |
Alcohol abuse-19% | Child abuse and neglect-42% |
Internet safety-18% | Alcohol abuse-41% |
Child abuse and neglect-18% | Internet safety-40% |
Teen pregnancy-16% | Gun-related injuries-39% |
Not enough physical activity options-15% | Teen pregnancy-37% |
