There’s both good news and bad news for the health and well-being of America’s children, according to the annual report recently released by U.S. health officials. The report included several positive health trends, as well as identification of issues that continue to be major problems.

The good news:

• The infant mortality rate continues to fall, and is at an all-time low of 6.1 per 1,000.
• The preterm birth rate has fallen for the fourth consecutive year.
• The teen birth rate dropped to 17 per 1,000 from 20 per 1,000.
• Meningitis vaccinations are up.
• Fewer kids live in homes with smokers.
• Fewer teens are victims of violent crimes.

The bad news:

• Childhood obesity and childhood asthma continue to be major health issues. Despite national attention, obesity rates for kids ages 6 to 17 fell only 1 percent to 18 percent. And asthma rates for children under 17 were virtually unchanged.
• More children are living in poverty.
• 10 percent of children lack health insurance, and many of the uninsured lack a regular source for health care.

According to the report, there were 73.9 million children in the U.S. in 2011—about 24 percent of our total population. Comparatively, children made up a peak 36 percent of the U.S. population at the end of the “baby boom” in 1964.