The report finds that a lack of strategic national focus and persistence of a wide gap between rich and poor in the UK is damaging the health of the nation's infants, children and young people.
Child health experts are calling for Government to introduce a comprehensive, national, child health and wellbeing strategy, reverse cuts to public health, and tighten controls over smoking, the sale of alcohol and advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
Child deaths
The UK ranks 15 out of 19 Western European countries on infant (under one year of age) mortality and has one of the highest rates for children and young people in Western Europe.
Smoking in pregnancy
There is marked variation in smoking in pregnancy across the UK with a strong association with deprivation; for example in Scotland over a quarter (25.9%) of women in the most deprived areas acknowledged smoking following the birth of their baby, compared with 3.3% in the least deprived areas.
The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy in the UK is higher than in many European countries (e.g. 5% in Lithuania and Sweden, compared with 19% in Scotland, 16% in Wales and 15% in Northern Ireland).
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding in England and Scotland has shown minimal improvement since data recording commenced in 1975, with no improvement over the last five years, It remains lower than many other comparable high-income countries.
At 6 months, only 34% of babies in the UK
are wholly or partially breastfed, compared to
71% in Norway. Across the UK, 46% of
mothers in the most deprived areas are
breastfed compared with 65% in the
most affluent areas.
Obesity
In 2015/2016, 40% of children in England's most deprived areas were overweight or obese, compared to 27% in the most affluent areas.
Across England, Scotland and Wales more than one in five children in the first year of primary school are overweight or obese.
Smoking
Smoking continues to be the greatest single cause of avoidable mortality in the UK. Also, the prevalence of child smoking is much higher amongst children from the most deprived areas; for example in Scotland's most deprived areas, at least 1 in 10 young people are regular smokers.
The percentage of 15-year-old children smoking regularly is 6% in England and 8% in Wales and Scotland.
Alcohol
In 2013/2014, 13% of 15-year-olds surveyed in Wales, 11% in England and 13.5% in Scotland reported drinking alcohol at least once a week.
For more statistics, calls to action and information on how you can get involved with our campaign, please visit www.rcpch.ac.uk/state-of-child-health or contact Margaret Donnellan, RCPCH Public Affairs Lead on margaret.donnellan@rcpch.ac.uk.
