Over 40% of American kids have a chronic condition, first MAHA report says

The Health Department’s Make America Healthy Again Commission on Thursday released its first report, focused on American children’s health. More than 40% of the roughly 73 million U.S. children of ages 0-17 have at least one chronic health condition, the report said, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood rates of autism, diabetes, cancer, food allergies, and mental health problems have all risen steadily in recent years, according to the report.

What factors did the commission identify as possible contributors to the jump in chronic conditions?

• Poor diet, high in ultra-processed foods and calories

• Increased exposure to environmental chemicals such as pesticides and microplastics

• Lack of physical activity, coupled with increased screen usage, sleep deprivation, and stress

• Overmedicalization, including overuse of antibiotics and high rates of antidepressant and antipsychotic prescriptions

What are other key insights from the report?

• More than 75% of U.S. youth of ages 17-24 are ineligible for military service. That’s primarily due to obesity, poor physical fitness, and mental health challenges, according to 2020 data from the Pentagon.

• The food industry funds the majority of nutrition research, spending $60 billion to the government’s $1.5 billion as of 2018. Funding sources can distort research outcomes, the report says.

• Nine out of the last 10 Food and Drug Administration commissioners have gone on to work for the pharmaceutical industry, as have about 70% of the agency’s medical reviewers.

• Nearly 25% of American children live close to one of the 1,341 Superfund sites, which are contaminated with industrial toxic waste.

• In 2021, teens spent an average of about eight hours and 39 minutes of each day on non-school screen time.

What is the Health Department doing about it? Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that his department was replacing its 453-page dietary guidelines, which he characterized as driven by the food industry, with a clear four-page document. Kennedy has also pledged to grant waivers to states asking to remove soda and candy from the list of foods consumers can purchase through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The report also mentioned that several agencies are working on Kennedy-backed initiatives like a review of water fluoridation regulations, approval of alternate food colorings, and review of approved childhood vaccines. Kennedy also said Thursday that his approach to solving health issues will focus on innovation, not what he characterized as nanny-state regulation.