Warning over 'unhealthiest generation of children in decades': UK now has some of the worst outcomes for kids in Europe, with declining vaccination rates and rising asthma admissions and mental health disorders

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 00:02, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 00:02, 14 July 2026 The UK is on track to raise one of the unhealthiest generations of children in decades, a damning report warns today. Children's health is either declining or stalling across every major indicator, including obesity, mental illness, tooth decay and vaccine uptake. It means the UK now has some of the worst outcomes for kids in Europe, with youngsters developing conditions once largely associated with adulthood, according to the State of Child Health 2026. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which produced the report, says the government must stop treating children's health as an 'afterthought' and make it a 'national priority' if it is to reverse the longterm decline. Failing to act now will mean 'another generation of children is let down', it adds. The report highlights stark inequalities between the most and least deprived communities and provides a comprehensive assessment of child health and wellbeing across 12 domains. These are infant mortality, child mortality, immunisations, early childhood development, oral health, obesity, mental health, emotional health and wellbeing, vaping and smoking, asthma, substance misuse and injuries.  Dr Helen Stewart, officer for health improvement at RCPCH, said: 'The UK's record on children's health should be a national embarrassment. Some 27 per cent of girls aged 11 to 15 and 22 per cent of boys the same age have now tried e-cigarettes. 'Across Western Europe, many other countries are achieving better outcomes for children, yet too many children here are being left behind. 'The State of Child Health report shows that we are categorically failing children in the UK, but especially those from ethnic minorities and poorer backgrounds. 'Without action, more children will grow up in poor health, entering adulthood at a disadvantage and putting even greater pressure on families and public services.' Among eight to 16-year-olds assessed by the NHS, the proportion with a probable mental health disorder rose from 12.5 per cent in 2019 to 20.3 per cent in 2023. But access to school-based help has worsened and children are being denied support until they reach crisis point, the report notes. Some 27 per cent of girls aged 11 to 15 and 22 per cent of boys the same age have now tried e-cigarettes, with clinicians increasingly seeing the detrimental impacts on health. One doctor told researchers: 'The youngest child I have looked after was a 6-year-old with severe bronchiectasis found using their parents vape on the ward.' Only 84 per cent of children have received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine by age five, which is well below the World Health Organisation target of 95 per cent, raising the risk of potentially fatal diseases spreading. One in three children aged 10 and 11 is overweight or obese and a fifth of five-year-olds are affected by tooth decay. Furthermore, one in three children aged 10 and 11 is overweight or obese, a fifth of five-year-olds are affected by tooth decay, and alcohol use in childhood remains 'widespread and increasing'. Paediatricians also report a rise in referrals for speech and language delays, sleep difficulties, nutritional deficiencies and behavioural issues. Meanwhile, infant mortality in the most deprived communities is more than double that seen in the least deprived areas and mortality among one to 17-year-olds is almost double. Additional YouGov polling commissioned by RCPCH reveals only 12 per cent of 1,026 parents quizzed believe child health has improved over the last ten years. The report calls for a rebalancing of spending on children's and adults' health, a funded workforce plan, better national data collection and sharing, and binding national targets. It also demands expanded water fluoridation, stronger restrictions on junk-food promotion, more mental health support in schools, tougher controls on vape flavours and branding, and a Clean Air Act. Haroon Chowdry, chief executive of the Centre for Young Lives, said: 'The assumption for many decades was that each generation would be healthier than the last. 'As this report reveals, that is no longer the case. Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, said too many families are experiencing the 'tragedy' of unhealthy childhoods. 'These unacceptable trends will have consequences both for children themselves as they grow from children to adults, and for society as a whole as the costs of unhealthy lives become increasingly unsustainable.' Sebastian Rees, head of health at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), said: 'IPPR has long argued that the UK has become the sick man of Europe on health. 'This report from RCPCH shows that this starts at a very early age. 'For a government committed to giving every child the best start in life, that should be of huge concern.' Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, said: 'Children all over the country want to grow up healthy, happy, and able to fulfil their potential – yet too many children are being held back by circumstances beyond their control, and too many families are experiencing tragedy.' A government spokesperson said: 'Following a decade of neglect, too many children - particularly those growing up in the most deprived communities - continue to experience poorer health outcomes than they should. 'That's why this government is taking decisive action to lift children out of poverty, tackle health inequalities and raise the healthiest generation of children ever. 'As well as ending the two-child limit, we're expanding mental health support in schools and colleges, opening family hubs and local health centres and protecting children through tougher rules on smoking, vapes, and junk food ads. 'We're also giving primary pupils a healthier start to the day with free breakfast clubs and providing free school meals to every single child from a household in receipt of Universal Credit.'