U.S. Children's Medical Needs, by the Numbers

Racing champ Jeff Gordon's focus on children's health comes at a crucial time. The number of U.S. children with chronic health conditions has risen dramatically in the past four decades, according to a study published last June in The  Journal of the American Medical Association. Some of the study's findings:

• Of 80 million children in America, about 8% (6.5 million) have chronic conditions that interfere with regular daily activity, says study author James M. Perrin, MD, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
• The top three problems are obesity, asthma, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• A study in the June 2008 Pediatrics reveals that leukemia is the most common childhood cancer. Childhood cancer is rare but is still the leading cause of disease-related deaths for children.

Fortunately, Gordon and his foundation counter with a few stats of their own:

• $6 million raised since 1999.
• Major funding for the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital in Concord, N.C., and the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
• More than 200 children's wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Read the complete story about Jeff Gordon's commitment to children's health, his healthy habits on and off the track, and his life as a new father. Also, read more about Jeff Gordon's foundation.