Has HHS Secretary Kennedy set off a hospital food fight?

Last month the Department of Health and Human Services asked hospital dieticians to take an eight-point pledge on inpatient nutrition.

Inpatient menu managers who sign on will commit to 

1. Limit ultra-processed foods; 
2. Limit sugar-sweetened beverages; 
3. Emphasize whole grains over refined grains;  
4. Prioritize minimally processed proteins, including plant-based options; 
5. Emphasize vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood and healthy fats; 
6. Eliminate deep frying in favor of baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried  or grilled preparation methods; 
7. Limit processed meats and foods high in added sugars, sodium and artificial additives; and 
8. Ensure meals limit added sugar.

Along with the checklist, the pledge includes a statement: 

‘We will champion food as a critical component of healing by creating accessible, high-quality and affordable food environments in the hospital setting. We commit to advancing evidence-based nutrition practices across our facilities to better steward healthcare resources and reduce the burden of chronic disease. Beyond inpatient care, we will support long-term wellness by providing accessible nutrition resources and education as part of discharge planning to help patients sustain healthy habits.’

Drill sergeant play-acting or threat with real teeth? 

This week detractors are firing back at this latest slice of the MAHA agenda. 

“Most of this is political theater,” Canadian dietitian and metabolism researcher Kevin Klatt, PhD, RD, says via KFF Health News. “HHS doesn’t have the power to do much. Also, if it’s to the point that you’re trying to control people’s choices, well, you look a little fascist.”

Prior to posting its pledge—which HHS placed on a CMS page—the agency sent a more formal memo to hospitals. 

That document reads, in part: 

“These updates reflect the latest federal nutrition policy and are encouraged to be used to inform patient nutrition services and related hospital protocols. Given the scale of Medicare’s investment in inpatient care, CMS has a responsibility to ensure that hospital food and nutrition services support high-quality, evidence-based care and improved health outcomes.”

The memo also reminds recipients that, in order to participate in Medicare and Medicaid, hospitals must comply with Code of Federal Regulations No. 482.28 as well as direct CMS guidance. 

Per those directives, hospitals “should review and revise food and nutrition service policies, standard menus, therapeutic diet protocols and food procurement practices to align with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” the memo states. 

Help wanted: Whistleblowers, tattletales 

From there Kennedy’s team has only turned up the heat in the kitchen.

“If a hospital is serving patients sugary drinks, they are out of compliance with government standards and are putting their reimbursements in jeopardy,” White House Senior Advisor Calley Means posted to social media. “If you see patients being served sugary drinks, please post information below or let CMS know.”

Openly defiant arguments against the new measures may be concisely characterized, in stance if not tone, in a headline and lead-in at the tabloid-esque Daily Beast. 

“RFK Jr. Makes Bonkers Threat Against Hospitals That Serve Jell-O,” the snarky copy reads. “SNACK SURVEILLANCE: What a hill to die on.”