According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Generation Alpha refers to individuals born roughly between 2013 and 2025. Gen Alpha is also called the iGeneration, mainly because they’re the first generation of humankind to grow up surrounded by technology. Screentime and social media are things they take for granted, and they’re growing up in an era when medical science is being stress-tested. Vaccines, pandemics, and experimental therapies are part of their childhoods.
Unsurprisingly, this generation is experiencing unique health trends, including earlier onset of puberty, increased access to preventative medicine, and mental health diagnoses related to trauma, addiction, diet, bullying, school shootings, and more. A pediatrician is sharing early health trends for clinicians to be mindful of for Gen Alpha.
Dr. Rhonda Johnson’s video on Generation Alpha calls them the “diversity generation.” Among the approximately 74 million children in the U.S. (roughly 25 percent) at the time of her taping (2024), the majority were children of color. The population under age 18 is more diverse than the 18+ population. While 34.7 million (48 percent) children in 2024 identified as white, 19.6 million (27 percent) identified as Latino or Hispanic, and 10.1 million (14 percent) identified as Black. So, while this generation is the first of its kind to experience some health trends, it is also unprecedented in facing complex social challenges.
Generation Alpha faces unique mental health challenges, thanks to ever-present technology and COVID-19. Kids are hyperconnected digitally, while often socially isolated and lacking close friendships. “This paradox has most likely contributed to the rising levels of childhood anxiety and depression we are seeing in recent years,” says Michael Glazier, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer and pediatrician for Bluebird Kids Health.
“The same device that connects them is, in measurable ways, harming them,” adds Gretchen Terry-Leonard, the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at the Center for Deeply Human Leadership.
This generation is also among the most open to talking about mental health, but often seeks care when symptoms are severe. “Children are arriving in emergency rooms in psychiatric crisis at rates that would have been unimaginable a generation ago,” Terry-Leonard says.
A 2021 study showed that suicide was the second leading cause of death in youths 5 to 17 years of age in the U.S. It also found that spikes in suicide rates among Black children may be tied to racism, racial disparities in healthcare, poverty, and trauma exposure.
A 2026 report from the CDC found that childhood obesity has reached record-high rates in the United States. Dr. Glazier suggests that some of this may be due to children spending more time immersed in digital environments rather than outdoors or engaged in physical activity.
Between 2021 and 2023, 21.1 percent of American youth ages 2 to 19 were obese. Obesity also disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic children, with a notable rise during COVID-19, due to factors including ultra-processed food, socioeconomic conditions, and a more sedentary lifestyle.
Another serious health concern is sleep disruption. “Sleep is both necessary for development and well-being, and we are seeing general shifts which include delayed bedtimes, irregular sleep routines, and decreased total time sleeping,” Dr. Glazier says.
“The sleep crisis among this generation is linked to nighttime use of electronic devices,” Terry-Leonard says. “The brain regions affected by poor sleep, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus, are still developing during childhood and adolescence.” Poor sleep can lead to weight gain and poor food choices.
While Generation Z is often dubbed the myopia generation, this trend is being passed down to Gen Alpha, too. “Incidence of nearsightedness (myopia) is increasing,” Dr. Glazier says. Though myopia is genetic, increased screentime and smartphone use have also been found to significantly increase the risk of developing myopia.
Gen Alpha has access to more medications and vaccinations and is more likely to engage in preventative care. Studies show a general global increase in the prevalence of medication to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in older children and adolescents.
There is also a notable increase in access to GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic) in pediatric care. “Prescriptions among younger patients went hockey-stick, up 700 percent between 2022 and 2024,” Terry-Leonard notes. “We don’t have long-term data on how these drugs impact a developing adolescent body, and that question mark matters.”
Questions remain about how these medications tie into other trends around mental health and obesity. “Eating disorder specialists have raised concerns that GLP-1s may trigger disordered eating in adolescents, many of whom already have an undiagnosed risk,” Terry-Leonard says.
There has been an increased push and standardization to vaccinate for human papillomaviruses (HPV). Yet data from the CDC show that vaccination rates for children in the U.S. are declining. Vaccination coverage is also comparatively lower for Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous children, as well as children covered by Medicaid, non-private insurance, no insurance, children living below the federal poverty level, and children living in rural areas.
Studies indicate a trend in kids going through puberty earlier. This shift can be caused by external factors such as diet and food ingredients, sedentary behaviors, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Data on younger ages of menarche onset are connected to environmental hazards, which are commonly present in locations with minority populations and those of lower income. Household stress, exposure to BPAs, and obesity levels also play a role. While studies about puberty in Black boys are sparse, a 2023 study found that the earlier puberty maturation for both Black youth can lead to social and relational challenges as they become adults.
The Casey Foundation reveals some positive trends among Gen Alpha: “On the positive side for the youngest members of this generation, nearly all (95 percent) of those from birth to age 5 had health insurance in 2023 … Additionally, since Gen Alpha began in 2013, the share of births to mothers who smoked during pregnancy has dropped from 8 percent to 3 percent in 2023.”
Medical technology and the treatments physicians use are shifting rapidly, too. “AI-enabled diagnostics are already reshaping the exam room, but Gen Alpha children won’t experience this as a change,” Terry-Leonard says. “It will simply be how medicine has always worked for them.”
AI enables physicians to get more comprehensive diagnoses based on symptoms and generate healthcare treatment plans universally. Wearable technology also means Generation Alpha can be plugged into their vitals, enabling continuous monitoring of their health, rather than waiting for labs or procedures.
Genomic medicine is also fast approaching. This means more personalized medication is prescribed based on genetics and targeted treatment approaches for chronic diseases.
Generation Alpha is being defined by shifting disease patterns, the rapid expansion of AI technology, and widening disparities. From rising mental health crises to earlier puberty and increased reliance on digital tools, their needs are significantly different from those of previous generations.
For providers, these health trends among Gen Alpha mean more than just staying on top of emerging treatments — they require a deeper understanding of how the social determinants of health (SDOH), race, and environment shape health outcomes from an early age. Black and Hispanic youth continue to face structural barriers to healthcare that begin before birth and continue through life.
Clinicians will need to deliver proactive, culturally responsive care that centers both the patient and their environment to meet the needs of Gen Alpha. As more trends emerge over time, providers have the opportunity to close these gaps early, ensuring this generation becomes healthier adults than those before them.
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