White House Commission Unveils Strategy to Fight Childhood Chronic Disease

The White House’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released The MAHA Report and its Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy with 120-plus initiatives to fight the country’s childhood chronic disease epidemic. The strategy outlines executive actions intended to advance science, realign incentives, increase public awareness and strengthen private-sector collaboration.

The strategy focuses on the following initiatives in this four-part approach:

1. Advancing research—Expanding federal agency research into chronic disease prevention, nutrition and metabolic health, food quality, environmental exposures, autism, gut microbiome, precision agriculture, rural and tribal health, vaccine injury and mental health
2. Realigning incentives—Reforming dietary guidelines, defining ultra-processed foods, improving food labeling, raising infant formula standards, removing harmful chemicals from the food supply and improving food served in schools
3. Increasing public awareness—Launching school-based nutrition and fitness campaigns, screen time initiatives, prioritizing pediatric mental health, and expanding nutrition and health information for parents
4. Fostering private-sector collaboration—Promoting awareness of healthier meals at restaurants, championing soil health and land stewardship, and supporting community-led initiatives

President Donald Trump established the MAHA Commission through an executive order to address life expectancy and chronic disease. The MAHA Commission comprises around 14 officials from various federal agencies and is chaired by the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“This strategy represents the most sweeping reform agenda in modern history—realigning our food and health systems, driving education and unleashing science to protect America’s children and families.”

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Employer Takeaway

The MAHA report builds on the commission’s assessment from May and contains 128 proposals related to research, policies, public awareness campaigns and public-private partnerships. Currently, these are only proposals, and more research is needed.

It’s important to note that the report has received mixed reactions. Researchers and advocates note that food assistance cuts, program reductions and potential medicine or vaccine policy changes could undermine public health. Other industry groups have voiced that the strategy doesn’t go as far as they were hoping for in areas like chemical and pesticide use.

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