Academy Update: MAHA Commission Report

Yesterday, the Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its assessment report, “Making Our Children Healthy Again.” This assessment, commissioned by the White House in February, provides an overview of factors that may contribute to current conditions impacting children’s health, including dietary, behavioral, medical and environmental influences.

Read the full report, which was discussed during a White House event.

High-Level Summary:

The Academy has reviewed the report and offers the following initial perspectives:

• The report is organized around what the Commission identifies as the four primary contributors to children’s health problems: poor diet, accumulation of environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.
• The report’s references to low physical activity and the overuse of technology are consistent with the Academy’s pediatric position statements on overweight and obesity, but it does not address deeper root causes. Factors such as poverty, food insecurity and limited access to healthy foods and nutrition education—often driven by geographic, economic and social barriers — are critical to understanding and effectively addressing the broader challenges impacting children's health.
• While the focus on improving dietary patterns is welcome, the report does not reference proven and effective nutrition interventions supported by the Academy, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, school lunch programs and access to nutrition education and counseling.
• We are encouraged by the call for expanded NIH research and will seek greater clarity on how this may translate into actionable policies and support.

Next Steps:

The Academy has reviewed the report’s findings and recommendations carefully and will continue to advocate for the use of sound science and evidence in the decision-making process going forward.

We are actively engaging with policymakers, including recent meetings with the Department of Health and Human Services to advocate for evidence-based nutrition policies. We have urged Secretary Kennedy to collaborate with us on policies addressing chronic disease prevention, nutrition security, malnutrition and healthy eating habits. The Academy posted an open letter outlining these priorities on our website and sent it directly to Secretary Kennedy’s team.

The Academy is eager to support and contribute to any efforts that improve public health, advance nutrition security, promote sustainable agriculture and enhance access to nutritious, affordable foods for all Americans. We urge the MAHA Commission to go deeper and conduct root analyses and ensure there is sufficient budget within the federal agencies to support the research suggested and the programs which are part of the solution.

Registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered bring critical expertise to these efforts, helping individuals, families and communities make informed choices about nutrition and health, especially among children.