Latest news with #MakeOurChildrenHealthyAgainAssessment
Newsweek
04-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Needs Teeth—Literally
The White House's Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment covers an array of chronic health concerns from obesity to diabetes, but it is missing the most common chronic childhood disease—cavities. Left unchecked, cavities impact academic, economic, and social outcomes, including lost school and work hours, lower self-esteem, and difficulty getting a job. With the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement charting its course, we cannot ignore the critical relationship between oral health and overall health and wellness. Tooth decay is roughly five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever, affecting nearly 46 percent of American kids. And it is entirely preventable. Without proper treatment and care, children are at higher risk for developmental impairment, chronic pain, disfiguration, and social isolation, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Untreated dental disease can even be life threatening, as in the case of Deamonte Driver, who died at age 12 after bacteria spread from an untreated tooth abscess to his brain. His death could have been prevented with a tooth extraction. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP via Getty Images In establishing the MAHA commission, the administration outlined the movement's focus on reducing chronic disease incidence and improving cost efficiency, with a specific emphasis on ending childhood chronic disease. This work is increasingly necessary as our health system grows more complex and chronic disease incidence worsens. And oral health is an important piece of this puzzle. Notably, one of the areas addressed in the MAHA Assessment is environmental drivers of chronic disease. The environment starts shaping the oral microbiome—the makeup of bacteria and organisms in our mouths—as soon as we are born. Research shows the oral microbiome links to systemic health issues including heart disease and diabetes. Chronic stress and poor diet are two additional important factors addressed in the report that directly impact oral health and the oral microbiome. The report authors also rightly point out that chronic disease threatens our military readiness. Did you know untreated cavities or severe gum disease can disqualify you from enlisting? Oral health is one of the medical/physical eligibility tests along with mental health and obesity, which the Assessment categorizes as two of the primary reasons for why "over 75% of American youth (aged 17-24) are ineligible for military service." Tooth decay may not seem like a particularly important chronic disease to address on its surface, especially considering most people don't think about cavities as a disease. But when we dig into the widespread impact of chronic conditions, as the White House did in this report, we can't ignore the impact of oral health across our health outcomes, economy, and military readiness. It's clear that oral health is intimately connected to what MAHA calls "the stark reality of American children's declining health." The commission plans next to create a strategy to study dietary impacts and environmental exposures, changing policies to promote healthy food options and increasing research funding on the long-term effects of kids' medications. Let's encourage the administration to remember the importance of oral health and the significance of being able to prevent chronic dental disease so children can grow up with the best chance of optimal health and wellness. David Healy is president of Sun Life U.S. Dental, which includes DentaQuest, the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S., by membership. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
RFK Jr.'s 69-page 'Making America Healthy Again' report released: 4 key takeaways
HHS Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has revealed the 69-page "Making America Healthy Again" report, which talks about the health scenario of the United States. The report gives key focus towards the health of children in the country among other issues. For starters, this report about America's health is in line with Donald Trump's executive order, which requests the Commission led by Robert F. Kennedy to America Healthy Again" to submit a Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment. According to the report, the primary aim of this initiative is to "presents the starkreality of American children's declining health, backed by compelling data and long-term trends." The "Making America Healthy Again" report claims that chronic disease in children is increasing each passing day. The report says, "The American food system is safe but could be healthier. Most American children's diets are dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in added sugars, chemical additives, and saturated fats, while lacking sufficient intakes of fruits and vegetables." ALSO READ | Why are more American children falling sick? RFK Jr's MAHA report has this to say This, as the report suggests, is one of the major drivers toward children in America falling sick in recent years. The report suggests that American children are highly medicated, which is turning into a recurring problem over the years. "The health system has aggressively responded to these increases in childhood chronic disease with increasing rates of pharmaceutical drug prescriptions, which may cause further harm to the health of American children when used inappropriately," the report reads. The MAHA report alleges that corporate influence has emerged as one of the key reasons for America's emerging health crisis, especially in children. "Some industry leaders have engaged in promoting ghostwriting and sponsored reviews to influence the scientific literature. Notably, this ghostwriting strategy mirrors tactics used by the tobacco industry to distort scientific consensus," the MAHA report claims. As per the report, aerobic fitness among US children has declined steadily. Even in the case of daily physical activity recommendations, "more than 70% of children aged 6-17 (rising to 85% in teens) did not meet the 2024 federal minimum recommendation of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity," according to the Commission's report.
Politico
19-05-2025
- Health
- Politico
MAHA to reveal plan on kids' chronic diseases
Presented by Driving The Day CHRONIC DISEASE CHRONICLES — The Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again commission is set to release its much-awaited report this week that should shed light on its strategy to combat the chronic disease epidemic among American children. The report, to be released Thursday, is expected to identify the key drivers of chronic childhood illness, such as asthma and autoimmune diseases, in the U.S. It could indicate how HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. might shift key health policy and research focuses within the nation's health agencies as he seeks to further his MAHA agenda. Background: President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the MAHA commission in February, just after Kennedy was confirmed as secretary. The commission's goals align with Kennedy's MAHA agenda: identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic health issues and ending childhood chronic disease. Trump named Kennedy commission chair and directed the group to first study the scope of childhood chronic disease in the U.S. and any contributing factors — such as diet and environment — and provide government-wide recommendations on addressing the contributing causes. The order directed the commission to submit the 'Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment' to the president by May 24. What to expect: The EO directs the commission to assess and recommend actions on childhood chronic disease, including: — Assessing the threat of potential overuse of medicine, certain food ingredients and chemicals — Identifying best practices for preventing childhood health issues, including through nutrition — Evaluating the effectiveness of existing federal programs and funding aimed at preventing and treating childhood health issues — Eliminating undue health industry influence in scientific findings and establishing a framework for transparency and ethics review in industry-funded projects Key context: Agriculture industry groups worry that the MAHA report could target pesticides and warn that a crackdown on the chemicals' use could negatively affect farmers and consumers. The report is widely expected to assess whether pesticides and other food ingredients are linked to health problems in children. What's next: By mid-August, the commission must submit to Trump a 'Make Our Children Healthy Again' strategy based on the initial report's findings. The strategy should address restructuring the federal government's response to the childhood chronic disease crisis and add new solutions to tackle chronic disease, according to the executive order. WELCOME TO MONDAY PULSE. Congrats to Journalism for meeting his deadline and winning the Preakness this weekend. Send your tips, scoops and feedback to khooper@ and ccirruzzo@ and follow along @Kelhoops and @ChelseaCirruzzo. In Congress GOP ADVANCES MEGABILL — The House Budget Committee voted to advance the GOP's sweeping domestic policy agenda late Sunday night, keeping alive House Speaker Mike Johnson's goal of getting the 'big, beautiful bill' across the finish line by Memorial Day. The legislation — central to President Donald Trump's agenda, including tax cuts, border security and energy policy — advanced through the committee in a 17-16 vote, with four conservatives voting 'present.' Key context: The bill, which would cut federal Medicaid spending by more than $600 billion, initially failed to get through the Budget Committee in a vote Friday, when five Republicans joined the panel's Democratic cohort by voting in opposition. Some conservatives took issue with the legislation's line on work requirements for Medicaid recipients, set to take effect in 2029, wanting them to start sooner. Just before the reconvened markup on Sunday night, Johnson told reporters that 'minor modifications' were promised to those holdouts. House Republican leaders haven't publicly detailed possible changes or briefed the full House GOP Conference, and those concessions to fiscal hawks could endanger support among moderate Republicans wary of changes like speeding up enforcement of Medicaid work requirements. Committee member Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of the holdouts Friday who then voted 'present' Sunday night, said in a post on the social media platform X that the bill 'does not yet meet the moment' because it doesn't go far enough in slashing federal dollars going to state Medicaid programs. Roy joined three of his colleagues to 'vote 'present' out of respect for the Republican Conference and the President to move the bill forward,' he said. What's next: Top House Republicans want to push the megabill through the Rules Committee and the House floor by Thursday when lawmakers are set to leave for Memorial Day recess. HEALTH CARE BIDEN'S DIAGNOSIS — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his personal office Sunday, POLITICO's Adam Wren and Gregory Svirnovskiy report. Doctors diagnosed Biden last week with a prostate nodule after he experienced increasing urinary symptoms. By Friday, they diagnosed him with cancer, which has spread to the bone. Biden's office said the cancer 'appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.' The former president, who is 82, and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctors, the statement said. What to know: Metastatic prostate cancer is not curable, but it is treatable and can typically be managed for a number of years, according to Dr. Geoffrey Sonn, an associate professor of urology at Stanford University School of Medicine who specializes in treating patients with prostate and kidney cancer. Sonn is not involved in Biden's care. About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and it is more common among older men — with about 60 percent of cases diagnosed in men 65 and older, according to the American Cancer Society. 'People can live for years on these hormonal therapy medicines, and there are other backup treatments once the initial ones start to fail, too, and those work longer, too,' he said. 'There's been a number of new medicines that have been improved and shown to be effective in the last 10 years or so.' The hallmark treatment for prostate cancer that's spread to the bones is hormone therapy, which typically involves reducing the patient's testosterone level and can cause the cancer to shrink or stop growing, Sonn said. The median survival for patients undergoing the treatment is four years, though it can vary widely and sometimes be extended when patients use additional therapies or participate in clinical trials. Quality of life with the diagnosis 'can be quite good with appropriate exercise and diet,' though the hormone treatment does have side effects, including sexual dysfunction and weakened bone density, according to Sonn. 'This is very different than if you hear someone that shows up with metastatic pancreatic cancer, where you know most are going to be dead within three to six months,' he said. 'Prostate cancer is very different in that regard, in that it can be managed for years.' Even so: Prostate cancer is typically slow-moving, but Biden's advanced diagnosis suggests it's a faster-moving tumor, which could make it more difficult to treat, said Dr. Cory Abate-Shen, a professor of urologic sciences at Columbia University. Abate-Shen is not involved in Biden's care. 'It's pretty serious if it's so advanced, because you wouldn't imagine that from someone who's being monitored,' she said. Vaccines NOVAVAX COVID SHOT APPROVED — The FDA on Friday green-lighted Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine — but with some restrictions. The FDA granted the company full approval for the protein-based and non-messenger RNA Covid shot, which previously had only emergency authorization for use in people 12 and older. But the agency approved the shot for use only in people 65 and older or for those ages 12 to 64 who have at least one underlying condition putting them at high risk for severe Covid outcomes. Novavax competitors Pfizer and Moderna received full approval for their mRNA Covid-19 vaccines for certain age groups during the pandemic. Why it matters: The vaccine's approval for certain groups of people comes amid uncertainty over whether the Trump administration will continue to recommend yearly Covid shots for all Americans ahead of a meeting of the CDC's top vaccine advisers next month. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, also plans to stop recommending routine Covid vaccines for pregnant women, teenagers and children, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Key context: The agency had initially set an April 2025 deadline to decide whether to license the shot. But the decision was delayed after a top FDA official directly intervened in the agency's review and asked for more data on the shot — a highly unusual move that cut against longstanding precedent at the FDA designed to shield scientific assessments from political interference. WHAT WE'RE READING The Associated Press' Eric Tucker, Gene Johnson and Alanna Durkin Richer report on the FBI investigating an explosion at a California fertility clinic as an act of terrorism. POLITICO's Hassan Ali Kanu reports on the Trump administration asking the Supreme Court to allow mass layoffs of federal workers.
