Child Health

Health status

• Percent of children aged 5-11 years who are in excellent or very good health: 84.0%

Source: Summary Health Statistics Tables for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2016, Table C-5c [PDF – 134 KB]

• Percent of children aged 5-11 years who missed 11 or more days of school in the past 12 months because of illness or injury: 3.7%

Source: Summary Health Statistics Tables for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2016, Table C-6c [PDF – 136 KB]

Obesity

• Percent of children aged 6-11 years who are obese: 18.4% (2015-2016)

Source: Health, United States, 2017, table 53 [PDF – 9.8 MB]

Health insurance coverage

• Percent of children under age 18 years without health insurance: 5.0%

Source: Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2017, table 1.1b [PDF – 530 KB]

Access to care

• Percent of children under age 18 years without a usual source of health care: 4.3%

Source: Summary Health Statistics Tables for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2016, Table C-7c [PDF – 173 KB]

Mortality

Children aged 1-4 years

• Number of deaths: 4,045
• Deaths per 100,000 population: 25.3

Children aged 5-14 years

• Number of deaths: 5,503
• Deaths per 100,000 population: 13.4

Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2016, tables 6, 7 [PDF – 2 MB]

Leading causes of death

Children aged 1-4 years

• Accidents (unintentional injuries)
• Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
• Assault (Homicide)

Children aged 5-14 years

• Accidents (unintentional injuries)
• Cancer
• Intentional self-harm (suicide)

Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2016, table 6 [PDF – 2 MB]