Robert F. Kennedy Jr has set an ambitious goal to “Make America Healthy Again” Commission. He was the new secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Focus on transforming how Americans eat and drink by advocating for eliminating harmful ingredients like food dyes, seed oils, and additives in processed foods.
Kennedy is shedding light on pressing issues such as reducing chronic disease rates, investigating potential environmental contributors to illness, and addressing rising rates of mental health disorders, obesity, and diabetes.
This commission will evaluate the efficiency of the existing policies and the impact of industry on the healthcare system. Kennedy has advocated transparency in drug safety as it’s affecting more citizens’ health in a way that we wouldn’t want it to.
The executive order that establishes the commission has several primary objectives of the commission Within the first 100 days of the executive order, the commission will complete an assessment that will:-
- Compare childhood chronic disease in America compared to other countries.
- Assess how overuse of medications, certain food ingredients, chemicals, and environmental exposures contribute to chronic inflammation and disease.
- Evaluate the prevalence and risks of prescribing antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs to children.
- Identify best practices for preventing childhood health issues through proper nutrition and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
- Assess the effectiveness of educational programs related to nutrition, physical activity, and mental health for children.
- Review existing federal programs and funding aimed at preventing and treating childhood health issues for their scope and effectiveness.
His slogan used in the election ‘was Make America Healthy Again’ Cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes are most often linked with the diet we all follow commonly, like frozen pizzas, crisps, and sugary breakfast cereals. Kennedy has been vocal about eliminating ultra-processed foods – products altered to include added fats, starches, and sugars.
Part of Kennedy’s new mandate will include overseeing the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has over 18,000 employees. Ensuring safety and transparency in pharmaceuticals and food supply.
Which ranges from manning school lunches to filing people to maintaining a clean and thorough decorum.
Path Forward
Kennedy could still make an impact by pushing for changes to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which influence food policies and federal programs.
However, experts warn that firing FDA nutrition experts or using drastic measures may harm food safety and public health. But we feel you sometimes need to go one step back to go four steps forward. He has a vision and is all set to make America Healthy again. I hope bureaucracy and the system become catalysts rather than inhibitors in this equation.