Children Health Development

When vision is compromised, as is the case in 1 in 5 American children aged 1-I7 years, academic potential may also be compromised. Uncorrected vision problems can worsen over time, some resulting in permanent vision loss, and may affect children's academic performance. Early detection and treatment of vision problems is therefore essential in optimizing children's healthy development and educational progress. State and local policies and the capacity of school-based vision screening programs can influence detection and correction of the children's vision problems. Children from poor urban environments, in particular, have much to gain from preventive policies and programs, given their increased risk of vision problems and barriers to receiving preventive care and treatment. Children from poor urban areas, many of whom are ethnic minorities, experience more than twice the normal rate of vision problems. For instance, research findings shared at a Harvard Graduate School of Education conference found a 52% failure rate among at-risk high school students in New York City who underwent a vision screening test. Another study found a 45% failure rate of Hispanic students screened in Tucson, AZ.

Adolescence, a time of great change and uncertainty with the onset of puberty, is often accompanied by preoccupation with body size and shape among youth. Average weight gain is approximately 31 lb (14 kg) for females and 33 lb (15 kg) for males, with differences in body shape and size between the sexes evident. Although body dissatisfaction and issues occur more often in females, recent evidence suggests that males are increasingly concerned with body weight as well. Ironically, while anxiety about body weight remains an issue, including stereotypes about body weight, the US population has become the most obese in the world. Breakfast consumption may vary by gender, particularly those with poor body image and/or weight preoccupation. A study to determine prevalence of...