Obesity rates among California adolescents, ages 12-17, have remained relatively flat since 2001.

California’s Nurse-Family Partnership program improves pregnancy outcomes, boosts children’s health and developmental outcomes, and increases parents’ economic self-sufficiency.

53% of the state’s public school children participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals Program.

A new study of children found that watching TV was more harmful to children’s health than other sedentary activities like using a computer. In the study, the more TV children watched, the higher their blood pressure rose, regardless of their weight.

Maternal depression has adverse affects on children’s development. Children whose mothers are depressed when they are young are likely to experience persistent depression themselves. Consequently, screening for maternal depression at well-child clinics and other locations visited by at-risk women is needed.

For infants, maintaining good oral health is important, because primary teeth enable them to eat solid food, aid in speech development and serve as placeholders for permanent teeth.