Kids are not as healthy as they once were in the U.S., according to a study published in the journal JAMA. Several health metrics have shown a marked decline since 2007, including the prevalence of chronic conditions, obesity and mental health concerns. And environmental factors and government policies are likely to cause further health declines. "Kids are the canaries in the coal mine," said Christopher Forrest, an author of the study, to The Associated Press. "When kids' health changes, it's because they are at increased vulnerability, and it reflects what's happening in society at large."

Infant and child mortality
The rates of death among children and infants have increased. In the 1960s, American kids were "dying at about the same rate as in countries with similar incomes," said CNN. However, the U.S. now has "about 54 excess child deaths per day compared with 18 other wealthy countries." Firearms have been the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. since 2020, according to Johns Hopkins.

Mental conditions
Among children ages 3 to 17, the "prevalence of chronic conditions increased from 39.9% to 45.7%," said a news release about the study. These conditions include "anxiety (which had the highest level of increase), autism, behavioral/conduct problems, developmental delay, depression, speech/language disorder, vision problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder," said the study. 

Physical conditions
From 2007 to 2023, "childhood obesity rates for 2- to 19-year-old individuals significantly increased from 17.0% to 20.9%," said the study. Obesity, especially in childhood, can increase the risk for future health problems, including "heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers," said the Mayo Clinic. 

The future
There's no single reason for the decline in children's health, but it "may be linked to broader environmental, nutritional and societal stressors that are yet to be fully understood," said Newsweek. "It's what we call the developmental ecosystem," and it "makes it very challenging to change it," Forrest said to CNN. 

The Trump administration is "drawing welcome attention to chronic diseases and important root causes such as ultra-processed foods," said an editorial published with the study. However, it's "pursuing other policies that will work against the health interests of children," including promoting vaccine skepticism. Funding cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs also spell trouble.

The largest movie theater chain in the U.S. (and the world), AMC Theatres, is trying out a new experiment. The company has begun a half-price ticket initiative on Wednesdays for members of its free Stubs loyalty program. While AMC previously offered discounted tickets on Tuesdays, the chain aims to boost attendance by adding this weekday. 

'Make moviegoing more affordable than ever'
The half-off discounts for rewards members apply to adult-evening base ticket prices all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at every AMC location, said the theater chain. These promotions are "designed to make moviegoing more affordable than ever," AMC said in a press release. The company "could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery," said AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron. 

'The decision still comes down to the price'
While AMC is optimistic that movie theaters are on the rise again, attendance has not yet reached pre-pandemic numbers. Box office totals are "up 15% year-to-date versus 2024 due to the second-quarter rebound," but "earnings for 2025 are still down 24.1% compared with 2019," said CNN. Total box office grosses this year are only expected to "reach about 80% of 2019's totals," Alicia Reese, the senior VP for media and entertainment at Wedbush Securities, said to the Los Angeles Times.

AMC's theater attendance "declined by 11% in the first quarter of 2025," and the company "reported a near-7% fall in revenues year-on-year," said Business Insider. So the plan to expand its half-off days is a clear effort to "lure more moviegoers back to the big screen."

For viewers, the "decision still comes down to the price of a movie compared with other outings," Daniel Loria of BoxOffice Pro said to CNN. The average streaming subscription costs less than a movie ticket, said Jackie Brenneman of The Fithian Group, and while the movies may be cheaper than a sporting match or concert, consumers "still care about the increased cost of going to theaters compared to staying at home."