27.05.2025.
The U.S. Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) has released a report that is already making waves, not only in American political circles but across public health and regulatory communities. While the report has sparked a fair amount of controversy, it places a long-overdue spotlight on the root causes of a growing childhood chronic disease crisis.
The 68-page report, titled the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, identifies five key drivers negatively impacting children’s health: ultra-processed foods, environmental chemical exposure, lack of physical activity, overmedicalization, and the “capture” of regulatory agencies. It also sets the stage for what the Commission promises will be science-based, systemic reforms.
Coming just 98 days after former President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the MAHA Commission, the report outlines a long list of contributing factors – from poor diet and chronic stress to environmental toxins and insufficient movement.
Whether one supports or critiques the current political direction in the U.S., one cannot deny that the conversation around what our children eat, and how food is regulated, needs serious attention. And that, indeed, is just as true in Europe.
Sceptics have not held back. Critics point out that the report omits leading causes of child mortality in the U.S., such as car crashes and firearms. However, the authors never claimed to cover every possible cause of childhood death. Instead, they focus on what is often overlooked: the chronic illnesses that quietly escalate over time.
As for the American diet, the report doesn’t hold back. It highlights the role of ultra-processed grains, sugars, fats, and food additives in fueling chronic diseases. Yes, more research is always welcome, but most of us probably understand by now that ultra-violet coloured cereals and bright-blue candy aren’t the most beneficial dietary choices for a three-year-old. It’s not radical. It’s just reality.
The aim, according to the Commission, is not merely to manage symptoms but to tackle root causes.
“We will end the childhood chronic disease crisis by attacking its root causes head-on—not just managing its symptoms,”
said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“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.”
Other officials echoed this focus on food systems and the role of agriculture.
“We must do more to improve the health outcomes of our kids and families, and President Trump knows agriculture is at the heart of the solution. America’s farmers and ranchers dedicate their lives to the noble cause of feeding their country and the world, and in doing so have created the safest and most abundant and affordable food supply in the world. We are working to make sure our kids and families are consuming the healthiest food we produce,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“America’s childhood chronic disease crisis will be solved through innovation,”
added U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“At EPA, we will do our part to protect human health and the environment while fulfilling all of our statutory obligations to safely regulate chemicals needed for every part of modern life to transport, build, feed, and power the Great American Comeback. This report shows America will continue to be the energy, industrial, and agricultural power of the world—and we can continue this while ensuring we have the healthiest children.”
The data behind the debate
Whether or not one agrees with the political messaging, the data included in the MAHA report paints a concerning picture:
- More than 1 in 5 U.S. children over 6 are obese—a 270% increase since the 1970s.
- Over 1 in 4 teens now show signs of pre-diabetes, with prevalence doubling in the past two decades.
- Childhood cancer rates have risen nearly 40% since 1975, particularly in those aged 0–19.
- Autism spectrum disorder now affects 1 in 31 children by age 8.
- Teenage depression rates nearly doubled from 2009 to 2019, with over 1 in 4 teenage girls reporting a major depressive episode in 2022.
- Three million high school students seriously considered suicide in 2023.
- Childhood food allergy prevalence rose by 88% between 1997 and 2018.
These statistics suggest a multidimensional crisis, one that cannot be solved with platitudes or surface-level fixes. Addressing what our children eat, what chemicals they’re exposed to, and how we regulate those systems appears more urgent than ever.
What’s next?
The Commission now has 82 days to release a follow-up strategy based on this assessment. According to officials, the next steps include supporting gold-standard scientific research and crafting a comprehensive implementation plan.
Agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are expected to take swift action. Priorities include tightening oversight of food chemicals deemed “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), using AI for real-time monitoring, and addressing the so-called replication crisis in research.
From a European perspective, the report should not be dismissed as merely an internal American debate. While the political framing may differ, the issues at stake – ultra-processed foods, insufficient regulation, and rising childhood illness – are shared across borders.
As such, the MAHA report may not only shape U.S. policy but also influence broader conversations on food and health regulation globally.
Whether welcomed or contested, it stands as a potential blueprint for reform or a politically divisive talking point.
