Nutrition experts have praised a much-anticipated report<\/a> from Robert F. Kennedy Jr\u2019s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission for cogently outlining the parlous state of America\u2019s health, but said actions taken by the Trump administration actively undermine the report\u2019s stated goals.<\/p>\n While some food and farming groups slammed the report for \u201crecycling RFK Jr\u2019s pet peeves\u201d and spreading \u201cfear-based misinformation,\u201d others praised its \u201cdevastating critique\u201d of America\u2019s health problems.<\/p>\n However, they stressed that at this stage, \u201cit\u2019s just talk,\u201d with the rubber to hit the road in mid-August when the MAHA Commission will release a follow-up report outlining how to fix the problems, a much tougher task.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s report identifies four key drivers claimed to be behind the \u201cchildhood chronic disease crisis\u201d:<\/p>\n Pesticides do not feature prominently in the report, although it cites studies (which farming groups say are cherry-picked<\/a>) linking glyphosate and atrazine to adverse health outcomes. However, it also notes that a review of common herbicides is coming in 2026 and that actions to restrict crop protection tools \u201cmust involve thoughtful consideration of what is necessary for adequate protection, alternatives, and cost of production.\u201d<\/p>\n As expected, the report attacks synthetic dyes and selected food additives such as BHT, Propylparaben, and titanium dioxide, a whitening agent approved as a\u00a0color additive exempt from certification\u200b<\/a>\u200b\u200b in the US but banned in food products sold in the EU since mid-2022.<\/p>\n Artificial sweeteners including aspartame, sucralose and saccharin also come under fire, with the report noting that they have been \u201cobserved to interfere with the gut microbiome in some studies,\u201d\u00a0<\/a> although industry groups have challenged<\/a> these findings.<\/p>\n Seed oils<\/a>, a particular bugbear for RFK Jr who has been encouraging firms to replace them with fats such as beef tallow <\/a>against the advice<\/a> of most nutritionists, are also singled out as part of a broader attack on ultra-processed foods, which other countries explicitly urge their citizens to avoid, claims the report.<\/p>\n While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/a> have over time switched from focusing on individual nutrients to encouraging healthier dietary patterns, they do \u201cnot explicitly address ultra-processed foods,\u201d claims the report.<\/p>\n It also notes that federal crop insurance programs have primarily covered traditional field crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans that are used in processed foods \u201cwhile providing much less support for specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables tree nuts and nursery plants.\u201d<\/p>\n The focus on some of RFK Jr\u2019s pet peeves can often distract from broader structural issues that limit access to healthy food and healthcare, acknowledged Marion Nestle<\/a>, PhD, M.P.H., Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Emerita at New York University.<\/p>\n But all in all, she told AgFunderNews<\/em>, \u201cIt\u2019s a stunning report, a devastating critique of what American society has done to its kids.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cIt sure covers the territory, from food to cell-phone use. The report is particularly concerned about ultra-processed foods and food chemicals. Both deserve to be taken seriously. And it has some gems. My favorite: \u2018American farmers are put at the center of how we think about health.\u2019 Wow. This is real food systems thinking. I\u2019m all for linking agriculture to public health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe question, of course,\u201d she said, \u201cis how. For that we have to wait 82 days for the policy report.<\/a> At the moment, this is just talk. The report is meant to be a call to action, but those actions will necessarily require taking on the food, agriculture, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries and I don\u2019t see MAGA doing that. Indeed its budget, staff, and regulatory cuts<\/a> are going the opposite way.\u201d<\/p>\n Nutrition consultant Lisa R. Young, PhD, RDN, told us: \u201cThe MAHA report emphasizes that ultra-processed foods constitute a significant portion of American children\u2019s diets, which I believe to be true. These foods are linked to various health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and behavioral disorders. I do however think nothing is wrong with seed oils, but rather the fact that they are found in UPFs.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cAnother significant concern raised is the decline in physical activity among children, attributed in part to increased screen time and technology use\u2026 All this is true! Now, let\u2019s see what happens. As for the [report\u2019s attacks on specific] chemicals, I do think we need more research to back it up.\u201d<\/p>\n William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, Professor, Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at the Milken Institute School of Public Health told AgFunderNews<\/em> that the report is \u201cboth impressive and intimidating. Impressive because of its length and extensive footnoting and intimidating because of the challenge of absorbing and fact checking the information.<\/p>\n \u201cOf particular\u00a0interest is the emphasis on chemicals as toxicants and chemicals in the food supply. One area of concern is that there is no mention of the need to sustain the monitoring systems that will need to be used to assess progress \u2013 notably\u00a0NHANES<\/a> (the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which monitors Americans\u2019 diets), BRFSS <\/a>(the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a health-related telephone survey), and others which provide the data cited in this assessment report.<\/p>\n \u201cThese may be dismantled by the budget cuts directed at CDC<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Health advocacy group The Center for Science in the Public Interest<\/a> (CSPI) welcomed<\/a> the report\u2019s focus on ultra-processed foods, but said actions taken by the Trump administration actively undermine what the MAHA Commission says it is seeking to achieve.<\/p>\n According to CSPI president Dr. Peter G. Lurie: \u201cHow is the American diet to improve when Republicans are hell-bent on cutting SNAP benefits, slashing school meals, ripping millions of Americans from their health insurance coverage, withdrawing proposed rules that would reduce foodborne Salmonella<\/a>, and laying off food inspectors?<\/p>\n \u201cThe administration has slashed programs to bring local food into schools, eviscerated government funding for research on nutrition and health, eliminated the office responsible for stopping lead poisoning in children, and is threatening access to life-saving vaccines.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cKennedy and Trump are pushing policies that will make Americans sicker, hungrier, and more at risk from unsafe food. At this moment, that is the true risk to children\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam Drewnowski, PhD, Professor, Epidemiology, at the University of Washington, told us he was \u201ca bit surprised to see no mention of food prices or diet costs.\u00a0 The percent of energy from ultra-processed food (UPF)\u00a0 is not 70% ]as stated in the report] across all groups. That percentage varies depending on education, incomes, food expenditures, or even the value of your home.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople living in multi million dollar homes are much less likely to be exposed to any UPF; they are the ones eating minimally processed salmon and leafy greens.\u00a0 So for diets to get better, education and incomes must improve as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe report spotlighted advancements that the panelists view as needed within our food system to better support children\u2019s health, but a more holistic analysis of the extensive evidence-based scientific body of knowledge on food and public health needs to be included \u2013 an issue we hope the MAHA Commission remedies over the next 80 days as it prepares its actionable recommendations.\u201d Institute of Food Technologists\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n While the report did not have a heavy focus on pesticides, as some farming groups had feared<\/a>, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a statement<\/a> that farmers have been excluded from conversations that will impact their livelihoods.<\/p>\n The National Corn Growers Association in turn accused <\/a>the MAHA Commission of spreading \u201cfear-based rather than science-based misinformation about pesticides,\u201d while the American Soybean Association (ASA) released a statement<\/a> arguing that the \u201cbrazenly unscientific\u201d report could prompt further litigation and undermine confidence in America\u2019s food system.<\/p>\n According to ASA director Alan Meadows:\u00a0 \u201cBy singling out two specific pesticides, the administration has offered activists a gift on a silver platter. Those groups will be poised to use the report to advance litigation aimed at taking away these tools American farmers use safely and effectively to produce our food. It is sad\u2014and downright unjust\u2014that, because of this one unfounded report, those decisions likely will be made by a judge and the court of public opinion instead of the regulatory system created for these very decisions and based on years and reams of credible science and research.\u201d<\/p>\n As for seed oils, he said, a recent peer-reviewed study<\/a> found that substituting butter, which is high in saturated fat, with plant-based oils, which are high in monounsaturated fats, may \u201cconfer substantial benefits for preventing premature deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is truly a case of saying up is down and down is up,\u201d said Meadows. \u201cWe\u2019re discouraging people from consuming heart-healthy oils and driving them to instead use fats that will make them less healthy and cost them more in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Pesticides and food additives<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Marion Nestle: \u2018A stunning report\u2026 but at the moment, this is just talk\u2026\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Bill Dietz: \u2018The report is both impressive and intimidating\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
CSPI: \u2018Kennedy and Trump are pushing policies that will make Americans sicker and hungrier\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Adam Drewnowski: \u2018Surprised to see no mention of food prices or costs\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
American Soybean Association: Report is \u2018brazenly unscientific\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/agfundernews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Source-MAHA-report-2025.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/agfundernews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-22-174023.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"