US Birth Rates Continue To Fall
US annual birth rates have continued to fall, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Birth rates have fallen by 2% since 2022, and 17% since reaching a peak in 2007. The general fertility rate has also fallen 21% during that time.
In total, there were 3,596,017 births recorded in the United States last year, compared to 3,667,758 the year previously.
Births to females aged 15 to 19 declined significantly, by 4% from 2022 to 2023.
Just over 10% of births were premature in 2023, which is about the same as the previous year. Early-term births (during the 37th and 38th week of pregnancy) rose by 2%.
“Since the most recent low in 2014, preterm birth rates have risen 9% and early-term births by 21%, while full-term and late- and post-term births have declined,” the NCHS team wrote.
Potential causes of the long-term decline are not discussed in the report, but one contributing factor is likely to be the continuing growth of chronic diseases, driven by poor diet and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These factors were highlighted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as two of principal causes of America’s unprecedented health decline, during his announcement on Friday that he would be withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing Donald Trump.
After his announcement, Kennedy joined Trump on stage at a rally in Arizona, where Trump praised RFK Jr. for his decades of work on environmentalism and health, and said that he would establish a presidential commission into chronic diseases, something he promised to do when RFK Jr. first announced his candidacy in 2023.
“Nobody’s done more” than RFK Jr. to “advocate for the health of our families and children,” Trump said.
“Millions and millions of Americans who want clean air, clean water, and a healthy nation have concerns about toxins in our environment and pesticides in our food. That’s why today I’m repeating my pledge to establish a panel of top experts working with Bobby to investigate what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic health problems and childhood diseases,” he added.
If you’re interested in the negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption, read our detailed primer now. A follow-up on toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals will appear on Monday.
RFK Jr. Exposes Dangers Of Seed Oils, Processed Foods & Agro-Industrial Complex
Robert F. Kennedy Jr made an appearance on “Fox & Friends Weekend” has detailed his pledge to expose the food industry and make American children healthy again. Kennedy claims that the: “The USDA, the FDA […]
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WHO Issues ‘Important Advice’ To All UK Households As Mpox Spreads
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Britons to improve their hygiene practices as monkeypox spreads around the globe. The public health warning comes after WHO declared the infectious disease a global health emergency on […]
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Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested At French Airport
Pavel Durov, the Russian founder of the messaging app Telegram, has been detained after arriving in Paris on a private jet according to reports. Durov, who obtained a French passport in 2021, was arrested at […]
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“No Guarantee of Free Speech”: Musk Highlights Walz’s Anti-Free-Speech Beliefs
Twitter owner Elon Musk used his social-media platform to highlight the anti-free-speech beliefs of Kamala Harris’s running-mate Tim Walz.
Musk reposted a video Sunday morning in which Tim Walz told MSNBC’s Joy Reid that there must be limits to freedom of speech.
“I think we need to push back on this,” said Walz.
“There’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or on hate speech, and especially around our democracy.”
Musk offered no comment himself, but simply repeated Walz’s own words for emphasis. Musk also made the tweet his daily “pinned tweet” to ensure all of his 195.5 million followers see the tweet.
“No guarantee of free speech” – Walzpic.twitter.com/6JIHD5RWgW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
The tweet was part of a streak of posts by Musk highlighting the fight for freedom of speech in the US and around the world.
A few hours earlier, Musk tweeted that “The 2nd amendment is the only reason long-term that the 1st amendment will be upheld.” He made a number of posts in response to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France, including one that read, “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Musk also retweeted a video in which he explained to Bill Maher the importance of the First Amendment.
“I think we should be extremely concerned about anything that undermines the First Amendment,” Musk says in the video.
“There is a reason for the 1st Amendment. People came from countries where they could not speak freely—where saying certain things would get you thrown in prison.”
Walz Caught in Yet Another Lie
Kamala Harris’s running-mate, Tim Walz, has been called out for another blatant lie, after a claim that he was given an award by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce was shown to be false.
When Walz first ran for Congress in 2006, his campaign website stated that he had been given an award for his contributions to the Nebraska business community. The website stated, “In 1993, Walz was named the Outstanding Young Nebraskan by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce for his service in the education, military, and small business communities.”
The claim quickly drew a rebuke from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, which wrote Walz a letter stating bluntly that it had never given him any award.
A copy of the letter was obtained by Alpha News and published on Friday.
“We researched this matter and can confirm that you have not been the recipient of any award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce,” the letter from Barry Kennedy, president of the Chamber, states.
“I am not going to draw a conclusion about your intentions by including this line in your biography,” the letter continues.
“However, we respectfully request that you remove any reference to our organization as it could be considered an endorsement of your candidacy. It should be pointed out, however, that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed your opponent, Congressman Gil Gutknecht, for his support of small business issues.”
The claim was subsequently removed from Walz’s campaign website.
The Washington Free Beacon reports that this is not the only misrepresentation about his personal achievements made by Walz during the 2006 campaign. The Beacon notes that Walz claimed to have “earned the title of Nebraska Citizen-Soldier of the Year” in 1989, making it appear as if he was the sole recipient of the award, when in fact 52 National Guard reservists had that title bestowed on them that year.
Walz’s misrepresentations and outright lies have been a source of acute embarrassment for him since he was chosen as Kamala Harris’s running-mate this month. There has been a particular focus on claims of “stolen valor” over devastating lies about his military career, including his military rank at retirement and his service overseas. He has also lied about the conception of his children, claiming they were conceived using IVF, when the actual method was intrauterine insemination, and lied about a DUI arrest in 1995.