HHS Releases the First 'Make America Healthy Again' Report

On May 22, the Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) released its assessment identifying key drivers behind childhood chronic diseases. This came just 98 days after President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the MAHA Commission and tasking it with delivering a “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment." The report exposed various contributing factors, including poor diet, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated in a press release. “The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will act swiftly to close research gaps and drive decisive action against the escalating childhood chronic disease crisis.”

The four potential drivers behind the rise in childhood chronic disease were summarized as follows:

Poor Diet – “The American diet has shifted dramatically toward ultra-processed foods (UPFs), leading to nutrient depletion, increased caloric intake, and exposure to harmful additives. Nearly 70 percent of children’s calories now come from UPFs, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.”
Aggregation of Environmental Chemicals – “Children are exposed to an increasing number of synthetic chemicals, some of which have been linked to developmental issues and chronic disease. The current regulatory framework should be continually evaluated to ensure that chemicals and other exposures do not interact together to pose a threat to the health of our children.”
Lack of Physical Activity and Chronic Stress – “American children are experiencing unprecedented levels of inactivity, screen use, sleep deprivation, and chronic stress. These factors significantly contribute to the rise in chronic diseases and mental health challenges.”
Overmedicalization – “There is a concerning trend of overprescribing medications to children, often driven by conflicts of interest in medical research, regulation, and practice. This has led to unnecessary treatments and long-term health risks.”

Echoing RFK’s stance on childhood immunizations, the report cautioned that while vaccines benefit children by protecting them from infectious diseases, they can have side effects that must be balanced against their benefits.

However, New York Times reporters Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Dani Blum wrote, “In some cases, the report misrepresents existing scientific consensus. It implies, for example, that the increase in routine immunizations given to children may be harmful to them, which many scientists say is based on an incorrect understanding of immunology. It calls for further scientific inquiry “into the links between vaccines and chronic disease,” despite dozens of studies that have failed to find a link.”

“If there was a unifying theme to the document,” Stolberg and Blum furthermore reported, “it is that the government has invested far too much in research to develop treatments for chronic ailments like heart disease, cancer, obesity and depression — and far too little in understanding the causes of disease and how to prevent it. It also pointed a finger at the food and chemical industries and their corporate influence in federal policymaking.”

The report “omits some of the most common causes of chronic disease and death in children,” Guardian reporter Jessica Glenza noted. It “insinuates there could be harms where there is lack of evidence, and avoids discussing how Republicans have already changed the health system in ways researchers believe are harmful.” Glenza furthermore reported a statement by Art Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, who told the Guardian that the report has “interesting ideas about health and children’s health and crackpot fringe tin-hat-wearing nonsense.”

“We will end the childhood chronic disease crisis by attacking its root causes head-on, not just managing its symptoms,” RFK Jr. said in a statement. “We will follow the truth wherever it leads, uphold rigorous science, and drive bold policies that put the health, development, and future of every child first. I’m grateful to President Trump for his leadership—and for trusting me to lead this fight to root out corruption, restore scientific integrity, and reclaim the health of our children.”