The recent tariffs imposed on Chinese imports are creating more than just economic challenges for US families, but potentially harming their mental and physical health, with a disproportionate impact on youth from low-income households.

Industry leaders have raised serious concerns about the implications of the trade measures, as the United States relies heavily on China for sports goods and equipment.

"Our nation's physical and mental well-being hangs in the balance. Let's avoid these unforced turnovers in trade policy and keep all Americans in the game," Todd Smith, president and CEO of the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, or SFIA, wrote in an article published by sports industry news site Sportico.

Smith emphasized that the tariffs against China "threaten to reverse our nation's progress in physical activity" and called for the government to "abandon their implementation entirely".

The tariffs that US President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese imports during his first term significantly affected sports and fitness-related activities across the country, according to SFIA data.

Following the 2017 tariffs, national inactivity rates among US citizens increased from 81.4 million to 82.1 million in just one year. Even more concerning was the effect on lower-income households. Families earning under $25,000 annually saw inactivity rates surge from 44.6 percent to 47.4 percent between 2017 and 2018.

The Trump administration imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods on Feb 4 and doubled that levy to 20 percent just one month later.

China is a major supplier of sports equipment to the US, accounting for more than 40 percent of US footwear imports. The US imported $13.1 billion worth of footwear and $31.6 billion worth of toys and sports equipment from China in 2023, the most recent year with complete data, according to a recent report by researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

The figures indicate that imports of sports equipment will suffer the most under the new tariffs.

The new tariffs will be felt directly by US households, the researchers said.

Ultimate impact

"While the ultimate impact on US prices will depend on import demand and supply elasticities, research on the US-China trade war has found resounding evidence of complete pass-through of tariffs to importers," the report explained.

"This implies that American consumers and firms will bear the effects of higher tariffs, with substantial costs for the average American household and a burden that falls more heavily on lower-income households," it said.

Emphasizing the link between tariffs and increased equipment costs, Smith pointed out the "hidden cost of tariffs" — the declining health of US citizens, particularly among low-income families.

In 2017, equipping a young athlete with basic soccer gear — cleats, shin guards, uniform and a ball — cost a family $115. By 2023, those same items jumped to $167.50, a 46 percent increase driven heavily by tariffs, which for some imported equipment items can reach as high as 25 percent, according to the SFIA.

Household income significantly affects youth participation in sports, said Smith, and the cost barrier leads to a drastic participation gap for US youths.

In 2023, only 24 percent of children from households earning under $25,000 regularly participated in sports, in comparison to 41 percent of children from households earning $100,000 and above regularly participating in sports.

"When essential sports equipment becomes more expensive due to tariffs, families are forced to the sidelines," said Smith.

The additional costs from tariffs come at a particularly challenging time for many households, as inflation continues to keep prices high.

Economists with Morgan Stanley Research said in a report earlier this month that they expect inflation in 2025 to rise 2.5 percent, up from their previous forecast in December of 2.3 percent. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have also projected higher inflation, largely attributing this increase to the new tariffs.

Though Trump has stated that his "America First Trade Policy" benefits US manufacturers and businesses, experts suggest the tariffs would increase the cost of machinery, electronics and equipment imported from China, with much of the burden falling on US-based businesses and consumers.

Margaret M. Pearson, a professor in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park, addressed those concerns in a new report published by the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

"US policy should acknowledge the substantial costs to US consumers and businesses of a securitization of everything," Pearson wrote.

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