WASHINGTON (LOOTPRESS) — The White House on Thursday released its long-awaited “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report, warning of a growing health crisis among American children. The report, commissioned by President Donald Trump in February, outlines rising rates of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, and neurodevelopmental disorders and seeks to identify their root causes.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who chairs the MAHA Commission, said in a press briefing that “our kids are the sickest kids in the world,” pointing to ultra-processed foods and environmental toxins as key contributors. He also cited sedentary lifestyles, overuse of technology, and excessive prescribing of medications.
The 69-page federal assessment focuses heavily on identifying problems but offers few specific solutions. Kennedy said the next step will be developing formal policy recommendations for the president, expected within the next 100 days. He noted there is currently no budget allocated for the initiative, as no concrete policies have been proposed yet.
Kennedy emphasized the need to address ultra-processed foods in future policy proposals, citing their links to obesity, heart disease, and cancer, although the strength of the supporting research varies.
Since taking office, Kennedy has taken several actions aligned with the report’s themes. He has urged food companies to eliminate artificial dyes, directed the FDA to reconsider its approval process for certain food additives, and supported local policies that ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP benefits, limit cell phone use in schools, and remove fluoride from public water systems.
The report addresses concerns about pesticides, especially glyphosate, a controversial weed killer Kennedy has linked to various health risks. While the report does mention pesticides, it places them in the broader context of environmental exposures such as PFAS, microplastics, phthalates, and electromagnetic radiation. However, most research to date has not substantiated claims that cellphone radiation poses serious health threats to children.
Despite earlier concerns from Republican lawmakers and the agricultural industry that the report would single out pesticide use, Kennedy has stated he will not take actions that jeopardize farmers’ jobs. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin confirmed the government will continue routine pesticide safety reviews and warned that sudden regulatory changes could negatively impact the food supply.
The report also suggests areas for future research, including long-term studies on diet and chronic illness, and the health effects of commonly prescribed medications for children. It raises concerns about overprescribing antibiotics, ADHD medications, antidepressants, puberty blockers, and drugs like Ozempic. However, critics argue that much of this research is already underway and that recent budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) could hinder progress.
“They keep saying that they want to do ‘gold standard research,’ but they’ve cut funding from many of the nation’s leading academic centers,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
The MAHA report also criticizes current federal dietary guidelines for not addressing ultra-processed foods and suggests they have been influenced by corporate interests. The Trump administration is expected to release revised guidelines later this year, which Kennedy says will be free of industry influence.
Notably, the report does not address some major public health issues, including the leading cause of death among children—gun violence—or tobacco use, the top preventable cause of death in the United States.
While the MAHA report highlights several urgent health concerns, public health experts say its effectiveness will depend on whether it leads to actionable, well-funded solutions.
