Early Life Experience

Social and economic conditions – factors associated with income, education, and neighborhood poverty, for example  – affect health at every stage of life. The effects of socioeconomic adversity on young children, however, are probably the most dramatic. Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood has been linked repeatedly with worse health not only in childhood but later in adulthood as well.  Child poverty often leads to lower educational attainment and therefore to lower income in adulthood, with strong health effects (See Income). Socioeconomic adversity in early childhood can lead to physical changes in brain development limiting children’s chances to succeed and be healthy; high-quality early child care can markedly improve the mental and behavioral development of children, especially those in less favorable socioeconomic circumstances.

News and Events

  • Washington Post: Poverty Rate Held Steady Last Year, Census Says

    August 27, 2008

    The nation's poverty rate held steady as median household income edged upward last year, according to annual census data released yesterday. The number of children in poverty increased by 500,000 to 13.3 million. Read More

  • Washington Post: Healthy Lunches Help Kids' Concentration in School

    August 25, 2008

    Healthy foods should be included on the list of back-to-school supplies for your children, says a University of Michigan Health System expert. Read More

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Perspectives

  • Stories

    Marsha Basloe

    Marsha has spent most of her professional career in the field of education but it took decades to reach the conclusion that early childhood development—the years before elementary school—is the key to it all. Meet Marsha Basloe

     

    Teresa Rubio and daughter Ana Baltazar

    Teresa tries to guide her daughter, Ana, toward healthy choices – less bread and burgers, more vegetables. But busy parents can’t be with their children every minute of every day. Meet Teresa Rubio and daughter Ana Baltazar

     

    More Stories

  • Leadership Blog

    Healthy Children: Earlier Rather than Later

    by Carole Simpson, Commissioner
    June 05, 2008

    “Better earlier than later.” How often have we heard that expression? Whether the phrase is applied to the detection of disease, applying for jobs, or taking a flight at peak travel times, early action is key. Child development experts in this country have been saying that with regards to children--aged birth to five--for the past 40 years. Read More

    An Unprecedented Reversal

    by Alice M. Rivlin, Co-Chair
    May 22, 2008

    A recent study documents an unprecedented reversal over the past few decades in Americans’ life expectancy. For the first time in nearly a century, rather than increasing, life expectancy for women declined in 180 of the nation’s 3,000-plus counties. Read More

    Building a Healthier America Starts with Healthy Choices in our Neighborhoods

    by Angela Glover Blackwell, Commissioner
    May 21, 2008

    Can Americans be truly healthy in communities overstuffed with fast-food and soda-and-chip corner stores? An important new study says, “Not likely.” Read More

    More Blogs

Resources

  • Life Expectancy: Where You Live Matters

    In Wake County, home to the state capital of Raleigh, N.C., the average life expectancy is 78.1 years. In Robeson County--just three counties away--life expectancy is 6.6 years less. But early childhood development programs in North Carolina are increasing the chances of living longer and healthier lives.

  • Overcoming Obstacles to Health

    This RWJF report to the Commission provides evidence describing the current health profile of Americans looking specifically at how income, education, and race and ethnicity play a role in Americans’ health.

    See the Report

  • Issue Brief: Early Childhood Experiences and Health

    This Commission issue brief investigates how the earliest years of our lives set us on paths leading toward—or away from—good health.

    PDF

  • More Child Poverty in America

    The U.S. has higher rates of child poverty than many other countries. In 2000, one-fifth of American children were poor—a proportion that was nine times higher than in Denmark.

More Resources