HHS 'Make America Healthy Again’ commission releases report on childhood chronic illness
The newly established Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) has released its first report, outlining what it believes to be the primary factors driving chronic disease in children.
The report, titled “Make Our Children Healthy Again,” is part of an executive order by President Donald Trump that instructed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to analyze factors contributing to chronic illness and the poor health of Americans, specifically any environmental or dietary contributors.
In an announcement of the new child-focused analysis, HHS points to what it views as the key drivers behind the “childhood chronic disease crisis,” which it attributes to a range of factors such as poor diet, the accumulation of environmental toxins, insufficient physical activity, chronic stress and overmedicalization.
The MAHA Commission stated that details from this report will be used to guide further research into the effects of the listed factors, which could then be addressed through the development of effective policy interventions.
“We will end the childhood chronic disease crisis by attacking its root causes head-on—not just managing its symptoms,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. “We will follow the truth wherever it leads, uphold rigorous science, and drive bold policies that put the health, development, and future of every child first. I’m grateful to President Trump for his leadership—and for trusting me to lead this fight to root out corruption, restore scientific integrity and reclaim the health of our children.”
The report, which is approximately 70 pages long, primarily outlines what HHS identifies as the core problems, including the rise in consumption of processed foods, exposure to synthetic chemicals in water and a lack of physical activity—all of which, according to federal healthcare agencies, contribute to lifelong illness.
According to the report, many chronic diseases—such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers—can be linked to these factors. Additionally, HHS correlates conditions like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with these potential root causes.
Also highlighted are the increasing amount of time children spend on screens and the growing number of young people prescribed medications to manage anxiety, depression and ADHD.
The report was produced in compliance with Trump’s executive order. While it outlines what HHS views as major concerns, it is not a study that establishes causation—something the agency appears to readily acknowledge.
“Next steps will include supporting gold-standard scientific research and developing a comprehensive strategy. The MAHA commission now has 82 days to produce the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, based on the findings from [this report],” the statement from HHS read.
A critical analysis
Health and science journalists at the New York Times were quick to review the document, with Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Dani Blum publishing a response and sharing their thoughts on its contents.
“The commission paints a bleak picture of American children, calling them ‘the sickest generation in American history.’ It calls out undue corporate influence in federal policymaking, and makes the case that the government has invested far too much in research to develop treatments for chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, obesity and depression—and far too little in understanding the causes of disease and how to prevent it,” the duo wrote.
However, they noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still lists tobacco use, poor diet, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol consumption as the primary causes of chronic illness on its website. Moreover, the agency had no representatives present during a conference call with media and healthcare professionals to discuss the report’s findings.
Additionally, the report is critical of certain childhood vaccinations, which continue to be strongly recommended by the CDC.
“In some cases, the report misrepresents existing scientific consensus. It implies, for example, that the increase in routine immunizations given to children may be harmful to them, which many scientists say is based on an incorrect understanding of immunology. It calls for further scientific inquiry ‘into the links between vaccines and chronic disease,’ despite dozens of studies that have failed to find a link,” Stolberg and Blum wrote.
The full MAHA report is available here.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.