Healthy Children Introduction

Too many Colorado children live in poverty, and too few have health insurance. Roughly 127,000 (15 percent) of the state’s children 12 years and younger lived at or below the federal poverty level during 2006–2008 (about $20,650 for a family of four in 2007). Approximately 120,000 children had no form of insurance during this time period as well. Children without insurance are more likely to lack a medical home and thus are less likely to get coordinated medical, mental and dental care. Too few Colorado children get enough exercise, and 14 percent are obese. Unlike Colorado’s adults who have the lowest obesity rate in the nation, Colorado’s children rank in the middle of the pack with respect to obesity. This poor ranking along with lower ranks in many other indicators results in a low grade of D+.

Insuring our children, seeing that they have a medical home and making sure they get enough exercise will better prepare them for the challenges of adolescence and adulthood.