Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published a report in the May 15, 2009 issue of Academic Pediatrics with the following bold claim:
Promoting the health of young children, before five years of age, could save society up to $65 billion in future health care costs. . . . “Our review found convincing evidence that the four health problems we studied—early life tobacco exposure, unintentional injury, obesity and mental health—constitute significant burdens on the health of preschool-age children and are antecedents of health problems across the life span,” said Bernard Guyer, MD, lead author of the study . . . The currently available research justifies targeted investments in early childhood health promotion as a means to averting future health costs and improving overall health during their life span.” (emphasis added)
Notably, the study focused only on four health risk factors: early life tobacco exposure, unintentional injury, obesity and mental health. It did not account for education related costs of early childhood engagement or disengagement. Yet the case is compelling: The early years are critical for health promotion, and parents play the central role in health promotion.
