Racing champ Jeff Gordon's focus on children's health comes at a crucial time. The number ofU.S. children with chronic health conditions has risen dramatically in the pastfour decades, according to a study published last June in The Journalof the American Medical Association. Some of the study's findings:
- Of 80 million children in America, about 8% (6.5 million) have chronicconditions that interfere with regular daily activity, says study author JamesM. Perrin, MD, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School andMassachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
- The top three problems are obesity, asthma, and attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder.
- A study in the June 2008 Pediatrics reveals that leukemia is the most common childhood cancer. Childhood cancer israre but is still the leading cause of disease-related deaths forchildren.
Fortunately, Gordon and his foundation counter with a few stats of theirown:
- $6 million raised since 1999.
- Major funding for the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital in Concord, N.C., andthe Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
- More than 200 children's wishes granted through the Make-A-WishFoundation.
Read the complete story about Jeff Gordon's commitment to children'shealth, his healthy habits on and off the track, and his life as a new father.Also, read more about JeffGordon's foundation.