Pediatric health in the U.S. shows alarming 17-year decline; GLP-1 meds still effective when interrupted; inequality, pollution and political instability accelerates aging – Morning Medical Update

Child health in the U.S. shows alarming 17-year decline

A new study in JAMA reveals a worsening decline in U.S. children’s health from 2007 to 2023, spanning mortality, chronic conditions, obesity, mental health and functional status. Compared to peers in 18 high-income nations, U.S. children were nearly twice as likely to die, with firearm deaths, prematurity and sudden infant death syndrome driving the gap. Rates of anxiety, depression, early puberty, obesity and sleep disturbances also surged. Nearly half of children seen in pediatric systems now live with a chronic condition. Researchers call for urgent systemic solutions to reverse what they call a “fundamental decline” in pediatric well-being.

GLP-1 weight-loss meds are still effective despite interrupted treatment

Patients with inconsistent access to GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide still achieved meaningful weight loss when treatment was paired with coaching and lifestyle changes, according to research presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. In a study of over 6,000 participants in a commercial metabolic health program, those who experienced GLP-1 treatment disruptions still lost 13.7% of their body weight after one year. Those with uninterrupted access lost 17%. Researchers say the findings underscore the power of combining medication with support for diet, exercise, sleep and emotional health.

Inequality, pollution and political instability accelerate aging

A sweeping study of over 160,000 people across 40 countries has found that poor air quality, social inequality and unstable political systems measurably speed up aging. Published in Nature Medicine, the research redefines healthy aging as shaped not just by personal choices, but by environmental and political exposures. Using a new "biobehavioral age gap" metric, researchers linked structural conditions like restricted voting rights and economic inequality to faster cognitive and functional decline. The study urges global public health leaders to address not just lifestyle, but the societal systems that influence how we age.