Second MAHA report's release delayed
The second MAHA report was expected to be released this week, but the White House said the paper would be submitted by its Aug. 12 deadline, with some scheduling still needing to be coordinated.
'Following a robust interagency process involving extensive stakeholder feedback, the MAHA Commission is on track to submit its Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy report to the President on August 12th,' White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
'The report will be unveiled to the public shortly thereafter as we coordinate the schedules of the President and the various cabinet members who are a part of the Commission,' Desai said.
The first MAHA report released earlier this year took aim at farming practices, technology-induced sedentary lifestyles and childhood medications. The report called for more study into these practices and the potential harms associated with pesticides and drugs.
The findings of the first report were overshadowed by the discovery that fake studies were included in the citations, something the White House referred to as 'formatting errors.'
The White House has reportedly assured agricultural lobbying groups that the forthcoming MAHA report will not call for new policies surrounding pesticide use.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Can the Stair Stepper Beat Incline Walking for Cardio Gains? Here's What The Science Says
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." You have choices every time you hit the gym, and the right decision at that moment ultimately comes down to the type of results you're after. If you're looking to do a cardio machine workout that gives you maximum burn, toning, and endurance with minimal time, you might narrow things down to two common training options: walking on an incline or stair climbing. But there's a lot to consider when mulling over the choice of incline walking on the treadmill vs. using the stair stepper. While there's some overlap in benefits, and the movement patterns seem similar, these are two very different modalities with distinct perks. With that, it's important to drill down on your goals. Do you care more about calorie burn, muscle engagement, or cardio endurance—or do you ultimately want some level of them all? Here's what incline walking on the treadmill has to offer compared to the stair stepper, according to fitness experts. Given that variety is important with exercise, we also tapped our experts for information on how to get the most out of each machine. Meet the experts: Alexander Rothstein, EdD, exercise physiologist and program coordinator of Exercise Science at New York Institute of Technology; Catherine Jarrett, PhD, RDN, a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist at Washington State University; Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, a registered dietitian, strength coach, and co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab. What These Machines Actually Do The biomechanics—meaning, how your muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together when you use each piece of equipment—have some unique distinctions depending on the equipment. Your Body On Incline Treadmill Walking 'Traditional walking on a treadmill is an easy task but, once you add that incline, you now have to work against gravity to propel yourself upwards,' says Alexander Rothstein, EdD, exercise physiologist and program coordinator of Exercise Science at New York Institute of Technology. 'That's considered a much harder task compared to just walking.' When you walk on an incline, you need to shift your center of gravity forward to be able to keep your balance. 'You end up changing your body position slightly,' Rothstein says. 'You lean forward from the ankle, but sometimes the hips and back.' Walking on an incline activates your calves, glutes, and hamstrings, especially if you're moving at a faster pace, says Rothstein. Your Body On The Stair Stepper 'You'll find that you're engaging similar muscle groups with the stair stepper,' says Catherine Jarrett, PhD, RDN, exercise physiologist at Washington State University. However, Rothstein notes that you need to lift your knees higher on the stair stepper, which is a larger hip motion than just walking forward. 'The same component of having to press down into the ground is still happening [with a stair stepper],' Rothstein says. 'You definitely still use your calves, but not as much.' He also says you may use your glutes and hamstrings more with the stair stepper from the pushing-down motion required to propel yourself up with each step. Of course, each machine can be adjusted to meet a range of fitness levels. For incline walking, that can mean moving the incline up and down, along with adjusting the speed; For the stair stepper, it means tweaking the speed. Which one burns more calories? It's important to kick this answer off with a big caveat: A ton of factors influence how many calories you burn on each cardio machine. 'Intensity is a big one, along with your speed, incline, and body weight,' Jarrett says. 'If you weigh more, there's more gravity on your body and you'll burn more calories.' Your fitness level at baseline can also be a factor. 'Someone who is more fit may burn slightly fewer calories because their bodies are more efficient and they're more aerobically fit,' Jarrett says. That means, if you're already in solid shape, you may need to do a higher incline or faster pace than someone who isn't as fit as you to get the same calorie burn. All of that said, in general, a 150-pound person may burn anywhere from 200 to 300 calories in 30 minutes on the stair climber, Jarrett says. The same is true for a treadmill on an incline, she says. 'But a lot depends on your individual fitness level and pace,' Jarrett reminds. According to the American Council on Exercise's fitness calculator, a 150-pound person will usually burn about 272 calories climbing stairs for 30 minutes, while that same person would burn about 170 calories walking at a 'very brisk' pace of 4 miles per hour (that doesn't factor in an incline, though, so with that, the level of calorie burning is definitely higher). That said, the stair stepper is usually a bigger calorie burn when you compare it directly to a treadmill. 'More people struggle with the stair stepper because, if it was moving at the same speed as a treadmill, the act of having to lift your leg the full distance is technically harder,' Rothstein says. Which one is a better cardio workout? This comes down to the intensity of your workout. 'If someone were to, say, walk on a higher incline or speed versus the stair stepper, it could be more intense on the treadmill,' Rothstein says. 'But you could reverse that if someone goes up more stairs.' There's one more thing to consider, per Jarrett: How likely you are to stick with each workout. 'The type of exercise you'll get the most out of is the one you'll continue to do,' she says. 'When it comes to cardiovascular health, it's about what you'll do consistently.' Still, the stair stepper tends to challenge people a lot very quickly, putting exercisers quickly into a higher VO2 max, which measures how well your body uses oxygen during exercise, Rothstein points out. 'If you had to match them one-to-one, the stair stepper has a higher demand,' on the cardiovascular system, he says. Which one is a better strength workout? The stair stepper may also be better for strength workouts, says Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab. 'You're recruiting more of your quads and glutes when you're lifting your whole body up vertically,' he says. (However, Matheny points out that you can increase the incline on the treadmill to make you lift your knees up more.) That doesn't mean that incline walking is bad for strength training, though. 'But muscle recruitment is higher in the stair stepper,' Matheny says. Something else to consider, just in case you're dealing with physical limitations or aches: Incline walking may be gentler on your joints. When researchers had a small group of volunteers walk on a treadmill at different inclines, they found that walking on an elevation put less stress on the knee joint while still strengthening muscles in the legs, per the study in Gait & Posture. Another study in Sports Medicine and Health Science found that walking on an incline lowered knee pain and increased strength in older adults who walked on an incline of at least 10 percent. It's worth noting, though, that there isn't research that compares these exercises head-to-head and that the stair stepper is also considered a low-impact workout. Meaning? You really can't go wrong with either one. Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Each Machine No matter which machine you choose, experts say there are a few form checks and other reminders that can help you maximize your workout. Don't hang on the railings. 'When you do this, you almost remove the benefit of this exercise,' Rothstein says. Essentially, by relying on the railings, you shift some of your weight off of your lower body and core, which are the main muscles the treadmill is supposed to target. Instead of walking or running under your own strength, you're creating a crutch that reduces the intensity and effort of the movement. Make sure you can use your arms. You should be able to swing your arms while you walk, Matheny says. Your arms play a key role in maintaining balance and helping you power through your stride. If you can't, or you find yourself grabbing for that handrail often, it's a sign that the incline or speed might be too high. Back off the incline, speed, or both. Challenge yourself as you go. Rothstein suggests doing a 20- to 30-minute workout and increasing the incline or speed every minute to create more of a challenge. Think of it as a way to level up each minute—start easy and build the intensity as you go. Do intervals. That can mean increasing the speed and/or incline for a period of time, like a minute, before reducing it and repeating this again in a minute, Matheny says. Don't hunch over the handrail or hang onto it. 'I can't stress this enough,' Rothstein says. Doing this lessens the impact of your workout, he says. When you lean heavily on the handrail, you offload your body weight and reduce the engagement of key muscle groups like your glutes and quads. Plus, it can mess with your posture, making you more prone to discomfort or injury. Try interval workouts. While you're just fine to step at a steady pace, doing intervals of moving at faster and slower clips can help to challenge you more and keep you more engaged in your workout, Matheny says. Think of it as spicing up your session to avoid zoning out. Consider a weighted vest. If you feel comfortable and challenged by using a stair stepper under normal circumstances, adding weights can help increase the intensity. 'Add a weighted vest,' Matheny says. 'I wouldn't recommend holding anything in your hands for safety reasons.' WH editors love the Empower Vest because evenly distributes the weight so you can still focus on proper form without the risk of losing Vest for Women $99.95 at Maintain good posture. Try to keep your back straight as you climb. Poor posture raises the risk of an injury, Rothstein says. While narrowing down which workout will give you the most results when you're pressed for time, experts recommend rotating between both forms of exercise, if you can. That can mean doing something like spending 15 minutes on each machine during one workout. 'Having both in your toolkit is helpful,' Rothstein says. 'It's almost like cross-training.' 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Politico
4 hours ago
- Politico
The MAHA wave
Driving the Day IN THE STATES — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again campaign to combat chronic disease is reshaping state legislatures, with hundreds of bills introduced this year echoing his agenda in both red and blue states, POLITICO's Amanda Chu reports. A POLITICO analysis of state legislatures found more than 130 pieces of legislation aimed at limiting access to ultraprocessed foods and improving nutrition, over 60 measures restricting the use of pesticides and other chemicals and more than 130 measures expanding vaccine exemptions or prohibiting mandates were introduced this year. Lawmakers also introduced dozens of bills to promote the use of psychedelics, authorize sales of raw milk and the antiparasitic drug ivermectin and ban the fluoridation of drinking water. The advances seen in state capitols, often considered laboratories for federal rulemaking, offer a glimpse into how a Kennedy-run Department of Health and Human Services might turn MAHA priorities into regulation. The White House is set to release a final MAHA report, which will include recommendations to fight chronic disease. Details: POLITICO tracked nearly 900 measures on MAHA-aligned subjects that were introduced in 50 states this year — a 45 percent increase from the previous year and measures introduced in 2023 among the four states that meet every two years. Measures ranged from banning the use of food dyes to limiting children's access to social media over mental health concerns to restricting the use of mRNA, the technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines. The surge in state activity underscores the growing political clout of the MAHA base, which cuts across party lines, and offers MAHA supporters a chance to secure policy wins outside a White House navigating competing interests. Following intense pressure from agricultural lobbyists, the Trump administration assured farm groups earlier this summer that the final MAHA report would include no new policy around pesticide use despite linking the chemical to cancer in a May draft report. Bipartisan appeal? Blue states New York and New Jersey led the country in the number of MAHA-aligned measures introduced this year, followed by Republican-led Texas. While some topics, like ending vaccine mandates, were predominantly backed by one party, a few themes had bipartisan traction: Roughly a third of measures to improve nutrition and restrict food additives were sponsored by at least one member of each party this year. 'We see so much state activity. … It's bipartisan. They're tapping into something that most Americans know intuitively. MAHA will persist when Kennedy is gone in the future,' said Joel White, a Republican health care strategist and founder of Horizon Government Affairs, a Washington lobbying firm. WELCOME TO THURSDAY PULSE. Adults in the U.S. are drinking less and worrying more about alcohol's health effects, according to new numbers from Gallup. Send your tips, scoops and feedback to khooper@ and sgardner@ and follow along @kelhoops and @sophie_gardnerj. At the White House PRASAD BACKSTORY — White House chief of staff Susie Wiles advocated to bring back the FDA's top vaccine regulator, Dr. Vinay Prasad, after he was pushed out following social media attacks from MAGA influencer Laura Loomer, POLITICO's David Lim, Dasha Burns and Tim Röhn report. Wiles' decision to advocate on Prasad's behalf, as described to POLITICO by two senior administration officials granted anonymity to discuss sensitive details, came after pleas from both Prasad's boss, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They insisted that Prasad is part of Kennedy's broader Make America Healthy Again movement to combat chronic diseases and integral to the Trump coalition. Loomer did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The FDA referred questions to the White House. 'Secretary Kennedy and the entire HHS team are doing a terrific job as they deliver on President Trump's mandate to Make America Healthy Again,' White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. 'Scores of prominent restaurant chains and food brands dropping artificial ingredients from our food supply and historic reforms at the FDA to fast-track lifesaving drugs and treatments prove that the entire HHS team is delivering for the American people.' Background: President Donald Trump forced Prasad out of his FDA job less than two weeks earlier after the Cambridge, Massachusetts, pharmaceutical manufacturer Sarepta Therapeutics, joined by GOP allies and Loomer, sought his ouster. He abruptly returned last week. Read the full story here. DRUG STOCKPILE EO — President Donald Trump issued an executive order Wednesday aimed at bolstering the domestic supply of drugs by ordering his health department to fill a drug-ingredient stockpile he established during his first term, POLITICO's Lauren Gardner reports. The directive builds on the Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Reserve that Trump established in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic when shortages of medical supplies and devices hampered the pandemic response. The U.S. relies largely on China, India and the European Union for APIs, particularly those that go into commonly used generic medicines like antibiotics and chemotherapies that are manufactured on low margins. Details: The order directs the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response — the HHS agency that focuses on emergency readiness — to develop a list of 'approximately' 26 drugs considered critical to domestic health and security interests. It calls for an accounting of available funding that can be used to open the stockpile and to secure and maintain a six-month supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to make the critical drugs. In Congress PRO MEDICAID CUTS — An influential group of Republicans has invited a key proponent of slashing Medicaid to brief congressional aides as the GOP mulls a potential second reconciliation bill, POLITICO's Benjamin Guggenheim and Meredith Lee Hill report. Brian Blase, president of the conservative think tank Paragon Health Institute, is set to address staff Thursday at a briefing on health care reform hosted by the Republican Study Committee, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO. Blase was allied with conservative hard-liners earlier this year in pushing for significant cuts to Medicaid in the first GOP package. He was the initial author of a letter arguing for 'structural' changes to the program that Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and 19 other hard-right members later sent to their House Republican colleagues. Details: An RSC spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday's briefing. But a person granted anonymity to discuss plans in advance said the meeting is set to cover enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums, which are due to expire at the end of the year, as well as rules governing the percentage of Medicaid expenditures covered by the federal government and reimbursed to states. Not unprecedented: The RSC, composed of 189 House conservatives, has been a key force pushing for a follow-on to President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' that was signed into law last month. The group has invited several conservative experts to address staffers in recent weeks, though it has yet to endorse any specific health care policies for any forthcoming package. Those staff-level meetings continue as House GOP leaders try to plot a way forward amid skepticism over whether another sprawling domestic policy bill is even possible, given the difficulties Republicans had coming to an agreement on the first bill. Looking forward: It's still unclear what health topics a possible second package would address. Some House GOP factions are discussing further slashing Medicaid as well as possibly targeting Medicare funding. AROUND THE AGENCIES MAHA REPORT TIMELINE — The White House told several agricultural industry representatives to expect the latest Make America Healthy Again report to be publicly released in September, according to two people familiar with the conversation, POLITICO's Grace Yarrow reports. Some farm groups were recently invited to the White House and given 20 to 30 minutes to view a hard copy of a draft strategy report, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to share private details. The draft report that groups have seen is roughly 15 pages and has only 'light' mentions of pesticides, one of the two people said. But given that officials plan to wait for weeks before publishing the report, anything could change. Farm groups are crossing their fingers that the MAHA Commission won't scale up plans last minute to crack down on pesticides. 'If the ag community felt like they'd had some success in mitigating some of the worst language, or even taking some of that stuff out, an extra month may not feel like an opportunity,' said one of the people. 'It actually might feel like a bigger risk, because if they're already comfortable with where it sits now, what does an extra month mean?' 'On the other side, the MAHA folks are going to be pushing for more aggressive policy solutions across the board,' the person added. 'Maybe it would have been better for it to just pop out as it is.' Buckle up: Behind the scenes, the White House is taking extra time to review the policy recommendations to 'make sure it's not fucked up like last time,' as one person familiar with the process told our Dasha Burns, referencing the first error-riddled report from the MAHA Commission earlier this year. An HHS official told our Playbook colleagues that 'the team at the White House and HHS is ensuring that whatever is in the report is the best possible product for the American people. If they need more time, they need more time.' WHAT WE'RE READING The New York Times' Roni Caryn Rabin and Irena Hwang report on the Trump administration halting research related to racial and socio-economic disparities.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Newsweek
Another State Looks To Ban Junk Food From SNAP Benefits
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has said his state may block the purchase of unhealthy foods using SNAP benefits. Newsweek has contacted Reeves' office for comment via email outside regular working hours. Why It Matters So far in 2025, a slew of states have either barred or are in the process of restricting what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries can buy using their benefits. Advocates for restricting SNAP purchases argue that cutting unhealthy foods from the program will improve public health, with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement leading the charge. Opponents counter that such limits dictate the diets of low-income Americans while overlooking deeper problems related to accessing affordable, nutritious food. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in Mississippi, some 384,800 people collect SNAP benefits, representing 13 percent of the state's population. What To Know Reeves, a Republican, said of restricting SNAP benefits, "It is on my radar," SuperTalk Mississippi Media reported on Wednesday. According to the outlet, he also discussed the idea with Health and Human Services Secretary Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spearheaded the MAHA movement, at the National Governors Association summer meeting. "I spent some time with my fellow governors a week or two ago," Reeves said. "We also had meetings with Secretary Kennedy while we were at the conference, very productive meetings, and that is something we are looking into." Republican Governor Tate Reeves speaks with supporters during an election night watch party at the Refuge Hotel & Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi, on November 7, 2023. Republican Governor Tate Reeves speaks with supporters during an election night watch party at the Refuge Hotel & Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi, on November 7, 2023. Brandon Bell/GETTY SNAP Changes Across the U.S. So far this year, 12 states have approved plans to restrict SNAP benefits. While the program is administered by states, it is overseen and largely paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). To make amendments to SNAP, states are required to send waiver requests to the federal agency for approval. Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia have all had their waiver requests approved. Tennessee and South Carolina have indicated that they are in the process of making similar requests to the USDA. Beginning in 2026, the approved waivers are set to prohibit certain foods from being purchased with electronic benefit transfer cards, which are reloaded monthly for use at participating grocery stores nationwide. Not all the new restrictions are the same. For example, in Colorado, Utah and West Virginia, only soft drinks and/or soda would no longer be purchasable with SNAP. In numerous other states, the restriction also extends to candy. What People Are Saying USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in an August 4 news release regarding states with approved waivers: "It is incredible to see so many states take action at this critical moment in our nation's history and do something to begin to address chronic health problems. President Trump has changed the status quo, and the entire cabinet is taking action to Make America Healthy Again. At USDA, we play a key role in supporting Americans who fall on hard times, and that commitment does not change. Rather, these state waivers promote healthier options for families in need." Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in the news release: "For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy—products that fuel America's diabetes and chronic disease epidemics. These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health. I thank these governors who have stepped up to request waivers, and I encourage others to follow their lead. This is how we Make America Healthy Again." Valerie Imbruce, the director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, previously told Newsweek: "Controlling how the poor eat is a paternalistic response to a problem that is not based in SNAP recipients' inability to make good decisions about healthy foods, it is a problem of the price differential in choosing healthy or junk foods. Soda and candy are much cheaper and more calorie dense than 100 percent fruit juices or prebiotic non-artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, thanks to price supports and subsidies by the federal government to support a U.S. sugar industry." What Happens Next Reeves' comments suggest that Mississippi has not formally requested a waiver from the USDA. It remains to be seen whether the state will do so.
