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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

America's children: mixed prospects

S M Bianchi

    Population Bulletin
    |June 1, 1990
    PubMed

    Insights

    US children

    Area of Science:

    • Sociology
    • Child Development
    • Public Health

    Background:

    • Changing family structures in the US, including smaller family sizes and increased maternal employment.
    • Rise in center-based childcare and prekindergarten enrollment, particularly for affluent families.
    • Growing income inequality impacting children's well-being and opportunities.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To analyze the multifaceted prospects of children in the United States.
    • To examine trends in family life, education, and health affecting American youth.
    • To identify factors contributing to both improved well-being and persistent challenges for children.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of demographic and socioeconomic trends affecting children.
    • Review of data on family composition, childcare, education, and health outcomes.
    • Longitudinal assessment of child development indicators over recent decades.

    Main Results:

    • While material well-being has improved for many children due to prosperity and declining family size, an underclass faces persistent poverty.
    • Educational achievement scores have stabilized and slightly improved, with higher high school completion rates, especially among Black students.
    • Physical health has significantly improved since 1960, yet challenges remain regarding the impact of transformed family life and socioeconomic disparities.

    Conclusions:

    • Most American children experience healthy and happy lives, with positive trends in education and physical health.
    • Significant disparities persist, particularly for children in poverty and those from single-mother households.
    • The long-term psychological impact of evolving family structures and socioeconomic inequalities on children's future prospects requires further investigation.

    Keywords:
    Age FactorsAmericasBehaviorChildChild CareChild HealthChild RearingDemographic FactorsDeveloped CountriesEconomic FactorsEducational StatusEmployment Status--womenFamily And HouseholdFamily CharacteristicsFamily RelationshipsFamily Size--changesHealthNorth AmericaNorthern AmericaOne Parent FamilyPopulationPopulation CharacteristicsPopulation DynamicsPovertySiblingsSocioeconomic FactorsSocioeconomic StatusTime FactorsUnited StatesYouth

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