Latest news with #MakingOurChildrenHealthyAgain
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
RFK slams processed foods, pesticides, vaccines as harmful to kids in sweeping MAHA report
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blames ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity, chronic stress and 'overmedicalization' for driving chronic diseases in U.S. children, according to a commission report published May 22. The 69-page report, titled 'Making Our Children Healthy Again,' also says these drivers are partly propelled by corporate influence and government lobbying. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a commission to "Make America Healthy Again" during Kennedy's swearing in ceremony Feb. 13, and tasked it with investigating chronic illness and delivering an action plan to fight childhood diseases, starting with a report due within 100 days – which it hit just under the deadline. Trump, Kennedy and other administration officials touted the report during an afternoon event in the White House East Room. The president declared it marks "a historic milestone on our mission to make America healthy again.' Trump recounted his political alliance with Kennedy, a former Democrat and the nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy, who dropped his longshot independent campaign for president and endorsed the GOP candidate. "He came on board and we got very lucky," Trump said, telling Kennedy: "You really helped, and I want to thank you very much." In return, Trump put Kennedy in charge of the nation's health agencies, giving him license to turn his MAHA movement into government policy, despite criticism from the medical community about his views on vaccines and other issues. The MAHA Commission report marks Kennedy's broadest effort yet to put his stamp on federal health policy. 'At it's core this report is a call to action for common sense," Kennedy said. "We've relied too much on conflicted research, ignored common sense, or what some would call 'mother's intuition.'' MAHA commission members responsible for the report attended the event. They include Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya. In a call with reporters earlier in the day, Kennedy said the commission will work over the next 80 days to issue policy recommendations for the White House based on the report's findings. "This report is really … a diagnosis. The prescription comes in 100 days,' he said. The report takes a close look at the American diet and flags ultra-processed grains, sugars, fats and food additives as problems fueling chronic diseases. Authors say ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, replace healthier foods and encourage people to eat more. UPFs include foods like chips, cheeseburgers, French fries, soda, cake, candy and cookies. Research shows they may be linked to a number of health issues like childhood obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and depression in women. They've also been associated with cognitive decline and cancer. The report also targets food additives such as artificial dyes, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, butylated hydroxytoluene and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin. The World Health Organization concluded in a 2023 report that the 'occasional consumption' of aspartame − typically found in sugar-free drinks like Diet Coke − is generally safe. Kennedy has already begun his campaign against food dyes, announcing in a April 22 news conference that the administration plans to eliminate eight dyes from medications and food by the end of 2026. The dyes that will be phased out in less than two years are FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos 5 and 6. In the coming months, the process will begin to revoke authorization of Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2, according to the HHS. Report authors also flag environmental toxins and call for more research to study the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, fluoride, electromagnetic radiation, phthalates, bisphenols and pesticides. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' consist of more than 12,000 man-made chemical compounds used in consumer products such as non-stick, greaseproof and waterproof coatings and surfaces. PFAS don't easily decompose in nature and because of this, they build up in human bodies and might contribute to certain cancers and other serious health complications. Kennedy's push against fluoride – a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, air and various foods – has led to health regulators to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market. Fluoride has been added to the public water supplies for decades and dental products, such as toothpaste, as a dental cavities prevention measure. What are PFAS? 'Forever chemicals' are common and dangerous. So far, Utah and Florida are the only states that have banned fluoride from drinking water. Several other states like Kentucky, Louisiana and South Carolina have anti-fluoride bills on the table. The report calls out two herbicides – glyphosate and atrazine – and says an updated assessment on these common substances will be coming out in 2026. The primary exposure to glyphosate, which is used in weed killers like Roundup, occurs through food. Ahead of the report's publication, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed concern the report's findings could erode the public's trust in the U.S. food supply, 'limit farming practices based on unproven theories,' and risk 'reducing access to affordable and nutritious foods,' according to a statement published May 20. Agency heads assured on a call about the commission report that the nation's food supply is safe. "Farmers need the tools in the toolbox to continue to feed the world, but it doesn't mean we can't do better," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. In the report, authors argue that 'American children are on too much medicine' and criticize the childhood immunization schedule for encompassing more vaccines than Europe. The commission encourages larger clinical trials to look into the safety of childhood vaccines and potential links to chronic diseases. However, experts have said decades of evidence demonstrate the safety and benefits of these shots. Babies are supposed to receive vaccines that protect against about 15 different infectious diseases. Most require more than one dose, which amounts to nearly 30 jabs by age 2. Vaccine spreading: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? Report authors also said that less time spent outside in nature, and more time spent on screens and social media is contributing to the rise of negative physical and mental health outcomes in U.S. children. The commission said these outcomes are exacerbated by "overmedicalization," calling out medications that treat anxiety, depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are commonly used medications that were called out in the report. SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others. On a call with reporters, NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya criticized the medical literature supporting certain treatments and how to use them in children, calling it a "replication crisis." "We have a crisis that requires rethinking almost every aspect of how we think about disease and the prevention of disease," he said. Contributing: Zac Anderson, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY; Reuters. Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. HHS MAHA report targets processed foods, pesticides, vaccines
Washington Post
23-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
The White House is worried about kids' screen time. Here are five things parents can do.
The White House is worried about how much time children are spending glued to their screens. A new report released Thursday called 'Making Our Children Healthy Again' says children are spending too much time on smartphones and other devices. Their screen time is contributing to physical and mental health issues, such as obesity and depression, according to the report.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
4 key findings from RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again report
America's children have a health crisis that's built on the poor diet caused by ultra-processed foods, toxic environmental chemicals, too little physical activity, chronic stress and 'overmedicalization.' That's according to the highly anticipated report of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, headed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and leaders of key government entities including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among others. The commission wrote that the goal of the report is to establish 'a clear, evidence-based foundation for the policy interventions, institutional reforms and societal shifts needed to reverse course.' The report paints a picture of American health — and particularly that of children — that's anything but rosy. The U.S spends twice as much as its peer nations on health, but comes in last among them for life expectancy, with higher levels of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The report also notes that 40% of the approximately 73 million U.S. children younger than 18 have at least one chronic condition, based on CDC data. One in five over age 6 are obese. And it says three-fourths of young people ages 17-24 are 'ineligible for military service — primarily due to obesity, poor physical fitness and/or mental health challenges." 'Today's children are the sickest generation in American history in terms of chronic disease and these preventable trends continue to worsen each year, posing a threat to our nation's health, economy and military readiness,' per the commission. Here are some key takeaways from the 'Making Our Children Healthy Again (Assessment)' report. The U.S. food system is 'safe, but could be healthier,' per the report. It notes that most kids are eating a lot of ultra-processed foods, which tend to have extra added sugars, chemical additives and saturated fats. It doesn't help that those same ultra-processed foods make up about half of the diets of pregnant and postpartum mothers. Children need more fruits and vegetables and other whole foods, per the commission, which said that government programs have compounded the issue. The shift to a diet based largely on ultra-processed foods means children consume more calories, but get fewer nutrients, while consuming 'harmful additives,' per the report, which says nearly 70% of children's calories come from ultra-processed foods. Among the health challenges for children is a big increase in the number who have diabetes, as well as greater incidence of blood sugar levels classed as 'pre-diabetic.' The sheer volume of exposures to environmental chemicals has been linked to both developmental issues and chronic illness, per the report. It adds that 'pesticides, microplastics and dioxins are commonly found in the blood and urine of American children and pregnant women — some at alarming levels." Chemical exposures at crucial developmental stages may be driving the high rates of chronic diseases, the report adds, noting risk assessment methods may not provide full understanding of how the exposures impact people. The panel noted in the report that exposure to harmful chemicals can hurt immune systems that are developing, derail neurodevelopment, disrupt hormones and have long-term effects on the brain. 'American children are experiencing unprecedented levels of inactivity, screen use, sleep deprivation and chronic stress,' the commissioners wrote. Screens — from TVs to cell phones to computers to video games — get much of the blame for the fact that children are more sedentary than in previous generations. And that can contribute to loneliness, chronic stress and too little sleep, per the authors. The report says teens average nine hours of non-school screen time daily and 70% of kids and 85% of teens don't meet guidelines for an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Plus 8 in 10 high school students fall short of sleeping at least eight hours a night. Meanwhile, persistent sadness affects as many as 42% of high school students and close to a third of those female students have suicidal ideation. The report finds loneliness rampant among those ages 16 to 24 and said that 15% of young men do not have even one close friend. The report calls the trend of overprescribing medication for children, 'often driven by conflicts of interest in medical research, regulation and practice,' cause for concern that leads to treatments that are not needed and long-term health risks. Aggressively treating increases in childhood chronic disease with prescription drugs may, in the commission's view, 'cause further harm to the health of American children when used inappropriately.' For instance, the report said that use of stimulant prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder increased 250% from 2006 to 2016 but there's no evidence that outcomes improved over that time. Use of prescription antidepressants increased even more for teens, rising 1400%, from the late 1980s to 2014, though psychotherapy had been shown to be more effective short term and potentially long term. The report also notes that the rise in use of antipsychotic medication in children was substantial, but the prescriptions were not even written for conditions the FDA had approved their use in for children. Antibiotics were also overprescribed for children and infants and could lead to long-term problems like asthma, allergic rhinitis, obesity and other conditions, per the report. The report also notes the need to balance benefits and risks of vaccines and to allow parents more say in whether children receive certain vaccines, as well as more testing of vaccines against placebo in rigorous clinical trials. Two weeks ago, in a FOX news interview with Bret Baier previewing the report, Kennedy spoke of a 'complete misalignment of cash incentives and public health' and said the health care system contains a 'bundle of perverse incentives.'
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Health
- USA Today
RFK slams processed foods, pesticides, vaccines as harmful to kids in sweeping MAHA report
RFK slams processed foods, pesticides, vaccines as harmful to kids in sweeping MAHA report Show Caption Hide Caption RFK Jr.'s impact on HHS so far has some worried RFK Jr. reluctance to endorse the measles vaccine amid a deadly outbreak raised red flags. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blames ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity, chronic stress and 'overmedicalization' for driving chronic diseases in U.S. children, according to his Make America Healthy Again commission report published May 22. The 69-page report, titled 'Making Our Children Healthy Again,' also says these drivers are partly propelled by corporate influence and government lobbying. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a commission to "Make America Healthy Again" during Kennedy's swearing in ceremony Feb. 13, and tasked it with investigating chronic illness and delivering an action plan to fight childhood diseases, starting with a report due within 100 days – hitting that just in time. The MAHA commission members responsible for the report include Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya. In a call with reporters, Kennedy said the commission will work over the next 80 days to issue policy recommendations based on the report's findings for the White House. "This report is really… a diagnosis, the prescription comes in 100 days,' he said. RFK MAHA report targets ultra-processed foods, food dyes, sweeteners The report takes a closer look at the American diet and flags ultra-processed grains, sugars and fats, and food additives as problems fueling chronic diseases. Authors say ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, replace nutrient-dense foods and encourage people to eat more, leading to a rise in childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. UPFs include foods like ice cream, chips, cheeseburgers, French fries, soda, cake, candy and cookies. Research shows they're also linked to a number of health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression in women. They've also been linked to cognitive decline and cancer. The report also targets food additives such as artificial dyes, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, butylated hydroxytoluene and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin. The World Health Organization concluded in a 2023 report that the 'occasional consumption' of aspartame − typically found in sugar-free drinks like Diet Coke − is generally safe. Kennedy has already begun his campaign against food dyes, announcing in a April 22 news conference that the administration plans to eliminate eight dyes from medications and food by the end of 2026. The dyes that will be phased out in less than two years are FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos 5 and 6. In the coming months, the process will begin to revoke authorization of Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2, according to the HHS. What RFK report details about ingesting pesticides, environmental chemicals Report authors also flag environmental toxins and call for more research to study the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, fluoride, electromagnetic radiation, phthalates, bisphenols and pesticides. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' consist of more than 12,000 man-made chemical compounds used in consumer products such as non-stick, greaseproof and waterproof coatings and surfaces. PFAS don't easily decompose in nature and because of this, they build up in human bodies and can lead to certain cancers and other serious health complications. Kennedy's push against fluoride – a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, air and various foods – has led to health regulators to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market. Fluoride has been added to the public water supplies for decades and dental products, such as toothpaste, as a dental cavities prevention measure. What are PFAS? 'Forever chemicals' are common and dangerous. So far, Utah and Florida are the only states that have banned fluoride from drinking water. Several other states like Kentucky, Louisiana and South Carolina have anti-fluoride bills on the table. The report calls out two herbicides – glyphosate and atrazine – and says an updated assessment on these common substances will be coming out in 2026. The primary exposure to glyphosate, which is used in weed killers like Roundup, occurs through food. Ahead of the report's publication, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed concern the report's findings could erode the public's trust in the U.S. food supply, 'limit farming practices based on unproven theories,' and risk 'reducing access to affordable and nutritious foods,' according to a statement published May 20. Agency heads assured on a call about the commission report that the nation's food supply is safe. "Farmers need the tools in the toolbox to continue to feed the world, but it doesn't mean we can't do better," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Kids are on 'too much medicine', MAHA report says In the report, authors argue that 'American children are on too much medicine' and criticize the childhood immunization schedule for encompassing more vaccines than Europe. The commission encourages larger clinical trials to look into the safety of childhood vaccines and potential links to chronic diseases. However, experts have said decades of evidence demonstrate the safety and benefits of these shots. Babies are supposed to receive vaccines that protect against about 15 different infectious diseases. Most require more than one dose, which amounts to nearly 30 jabs by age 2. Vaccine spreading: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? Report authors also said that less time spent outside in nature, and more time spent on screens and social media is contributing to the rise of negative physical and mental health outcomes in U.S. children. The commission said these outcomes are exacerbated by "overmedicalization," calling out medications that treat anxiety, depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are commonly used medications that were called out in the report. SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others. On a call with reporters, NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya criticized the medical literature supporting certain treatments and how to use them in children, calling it a "replication crisis." "We have a crisis that requires rethinking almost every aspect of how we think about disease and the prevention of disease," he said. Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY; Reuters. Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@
