The “Make America Healthy Again” Commission announced on Thursday that the drivers of childhood chronic disease are exactly what Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thought they were all along: ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, technology and medications, including vaccines.
Some of the phenomena the MAHA Commission’s new report identifies as causing health issues in children — a dearth of high-quality, unprocessed foods in the average American diet, heightened exposure to chemicals like pesticides and microplastics, the inceasing rise of social media — scientists and public health experts broadly agree are problematic. But other claims — like the dangers posed by Wi-Fi radiation, antidepressants and vaccines — have far less evidence to support them.
Regardless of its scientific legitimacy, the report signifies a tectonic shift in the federal government’s language around health and wellness. Its recommendations could have major implications for the look and feel of the country’s public health infrastructure.