Many health habits that affect well-being later in life begin during childhood and adolescence (teenage years). Childhood is a key time for growth and development, and early experiences can have lifelong effects. Regular checkups and developmental screenings help find health problems early, when treatment works best. Healthy habits like good nutrition, regular physical activity, and enough sleep can prevent illness and injury. Safe, stable, and supportive relationships at home, in schools, and in communities are essential for children’s health and well-being and can improve outcomes over time.
Teens face higher risks for preventable problems, such as substance use and sexually transmitted infections. They also go through physical, emotional, and mental changes that affect their health. Encouraging healthy behaviors—like getting preventive care, avoiding excessive screen time, having regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep—can help teens stay safe and healthy.
The information and data on this page define childhood as ages 2-11 and adolescence as ages 12-18, or youth in grades 9 -12.
See the “Related Data” section for additional insight into children and adolescent health topics.
- In 2024, Black/African American children under age 18 were 13% less likely to have used prescription medication in the past year than U.S. children overall.
- From 2022 to 2023, Black/African American children ages 2 to 5 were 34% less likely to have no more than an hour of daily screen time than all U.S. children in that age group.
- In 2023, Black/African American high school students were 16% less likely than students nationwide to get at least eight hours of sleep.
Additional Resources
MedlinePlus
- Child Development
- Teen/Adolescent Development
- Children’s Health (in multiple languages)
- Teen/Adolescent Health (in multiple languages)
Further Reading
Prescription Medication Use
| Prescription medication use in the past 12 months for children under age 18 years, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) |
| 35.7 | 41.0 | 0.87 |
| Students in grades 9-12 who currently take prescription pain medicine without a doctor's prescription or differently than how a doctor told them to use it, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) | |
| Male | 4.5 | 3.3 | 1.36 |
| Female | 5.3 | 5.8 | 0.91 |
| Both Sexes | 4.9 | 4.4 | 1.11 |
| Students in grades 9-12 who ever took prescription pain medicine without a doctor's prescription or differently than how a doctor told them to use it, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) | |
| Male | 10.9 | 9.3 | 1.17 |
| Female | 13.2 | 13.8 | 0.96 |
| Both Sexes | 12.2 | 11.6 | 1.05 |
Screen Time
| Children ages 2 to 5 years with total screen time of no more than 1 hour a day, percentage, 2022-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) |
| 29.7 | 44.8 | 0.66 |
| Students in grades 9-12 who used social media at least several times a day, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) | |
| Male | 72.6 | 72.9 | 1.00 |
| Female | 85.0 | 81.8 | 1.04 |
| Both Sexes | 78.7 | 77.0 | 1.02 |
| Teens ages 12-17 years who have more than 2 hours of screen time per day, percentage, 2021-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black | Total Population | Ratio (Black / Total) |
| 94.6 | 90.9 | 1.04 |
Sleep
| Teens ages 12-17 years who complain about being tired most days or every day, percentage, 2021-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black | Total Population | Ratio (Black / Total) |
| 35.8 | 39.7 | 0.90 |
| Teens ages 12-17 years who take naps or fall asleep during the day most days or every day, percentage, 2021-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black | Total Population | Ratio (Black / Total) |
| 30.1 | 18.3 | 1.64 |
| Students in grades 9-12 who got 8 or more hours of sleep, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Black* | Total Population | Ratio (Black* / Total) | |
| Male | 18.2 | 24.6 | 0.74 |
| Female | 20.6 | 21.7 | 0.95 |
| Both Sexes | 19.4 | 23.2 | 0.84 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
Related Data
Asthma
Black/African American children have higher rates of asthma than U.S. children overall.
Explore more asthma data.
HIV/AIDS
Black/African American children are diagnosed with HIV at a much higher rate than U.S. children overall.
Explore more HIV/AIDS data.
Immunizations
Black/African American youth have similar immunization rates as U.S. children overall.
Explore more immunizations data.
Infant Mortality
Black/African American infants have higher mortality rates than U.S. infants overall.
Explore more infant mortality data.
Mental Health
Black/African American adolescents have higher rates of suicide than U.S. adolescents overall.
Explore more mental health data.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Black/African American children are diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder more often than U.S. children overall.
Explore more neurodevelopmental disorders data.
Nutrition
Black/African American adolescents report eating vegetables less often than U.S. adolescents overall.
Explore more nutrition data.
Obesity
Black/African American youth are more likely to be obese than U.S. youth overall.
Explore more obesity data.
Physical Activity
Black/African American youth are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines compared to U.S. youth overall.
Explore more physical activity data.
Smoking, Vaping, and Tobacco Use
Black/African American adolescents are less likely to use tobacco products than U.S. adolescents overall.
Explore more smoking, vaping, and tobacco use data.
Substance Use
Black/African American youth are less likely to use alcohol compared to U.S. youth overall.
Explore more substance use data.
Date Last Reviewed: March 2026