American children are experiencing unprecedented levels of inactivity (sedentarism), screen use, sleep deprivation, and chronic stress. These factors significantly contribute to the rise in chronic diseases and mental health challenges. There is a concerning trend of overprescribing medications to children, which has led to unnecessary treatments and long-term health risks. The childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes, including the American diet, medical treatments, lifestyle, environmental factors, and food production techniques can be looked at as drivers behind this crisis.
This page provides data points and curated searches from OMH’s Knowledge Center library catalog related to child and adolescent health within minority and tribal populations in the United States and its territories. The number of catalog records for each topic reflect the search results at the time of this page’s latest update.
American Indian/Alaska Native
A 2023 report from the Indian Health Service (IHS) reveals significant oral health disparities for AI/AN children, who have the highest rates of tooth decay among any racial and ethnic group in the U.S. At the age of 2, about 40% of AI/AN children have already experienced tooth decay, and by the age of 5, this number rises to 80%.1
Asian American
According to CDC data, 3.3% of non-Hispanic Asian American children under the age of 18 had asthma in 2019-2021. This was the lowest rate among all racial or ethnic groups identified in the National Health Interview Survey.2
Black/African American
High School Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) data from 2021 show that only 64% of Black or African American high school students had seen a dentist in the previous 12 months before the survey, compared to 74% of students among all races and ethnicities.3
Hispanic/Latino
The CDC states that in the period from 2017 to 2020, obesity prevalence was highest in Hispanic children (26.2%) among all racial or ethnic groups.4
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey System (YRBSS) data from 2021 show that Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander middle school students were 30% more likely to report having had a concussion from sports or physical activity than their peers of all races and ethnicities.5
1 Phipps, K. R., Ricks, T. L., Mork, N. P., & Lozon, T. L. (2023). The oral health of American Indian and Alaska Native children aged 6-9 years: A follow-up report to the 2017 survey. Indian Health Service. https://www.ihs.gov/doh/documents/surveillance/Data_Brief_IHS_6-9_Year_Olds_2023.pdf. (Back to footnote)
2 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back to footnote)
3 CDC. High School YRBS. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline/App/Default.aspx (Back to footnote)
4 CDC. (2024). Childhood obesity facts. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood-obesity-facts/childhood-obesity-facts.html (Back to footnote)
5 CDC. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline/App/Default.aspx (Back to footnote)
Date Last Reviewed: October 2025