MAHA Commission report links additives, food aid and UPFs to chronic disease rates in children

The US Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) has released a report addressing “key drivers” of childhood chronic disease. The document cites a link between the rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and adverse health outcomes in children, among other factors. 

The MAHA Commission’s leaders, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., discussed the assessment at a White House event yesterday.

“We will end the childhood chronic disease crisis by attacking its root causes head-on — not just managing its symptoms,” says Kennedy.

“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.”

The commission says that while there is no universal definition of UPFs, the NOVA food classification system’s understanding of the term has come to be commonly used: “industrially manufactured food products made up of several ingredients (formulations) including sugar, oils, fats and salt and food substances of no or rare culinary use.”

The assessment claims that over 50% of the calories consumed by an individual in the US come from UPFs, while in countries like Portugal, Italy, and France, the average consumption of such foods lies between 10% and 31%.

It adds that more than 40% of US consumers are obese, which is almost twice the obesity rates in the aforementioned EU countries.

According to MAHA, ultra-processing whole foods and ingredients depletes nutrition. Ultra-processed grains, sugars, and fats “dominate” daily consumption in cookies, cakes, refined breads, snacks, and refined fats such as seed oils from soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, and canola.

The commission’s study cites research indicating that consuming UPFs increases caloric intake, driving up weight as processing changes these foods’ protein and fiber content, affecting digestibility. Whole foods, on the other hand, promote satiety.

Additives and SNAP benefits under scanner

Reiterating concerns over the use of synthetic additives, the commission says there are over 2,500 synthetic food colorings and preservatives, including emulsifiers, binders, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives, which are used to mimic the taste or appearance of conventional foods in UPFs.

The Trump administration has begun to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply. Last month, it initiated the process of banning Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in F&B products in the coming months to restore “gold-standard science” and gain consumer trust.

“The rise of UPFs has corresponded with a pattern of corporatization and consolidation in our food system,” the report claims, adding that US farmers receive a small share of consumer food spending.

In addition to corporations, the report says government programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have been “compounding” the issue. For example, children receiving SNAP benefits are likely to consume greater quantities of sugary drinks and processed meats compared to participants who fall in the same income bracket but are not recipients.

However, research has highlighted that people receiving SNAP benefits already experience a higher risk of food insecurity, poverty, and poor health. Many families receiving benefits rely on coping strategies toward the month-end, which can explain higher levels of UPF consumption, among other barriers to food accessibility and availability, which the report does not delve into.

Next steps

The commission says its next steps will include supporting scientific research and crafting a comprehensive strategy within 82 days. Agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will address research gaps.

“America’s childhood chronic disease crisis will be solved through innovation,” says US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s plans to cut the size of the US government workforce hit the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February, with layoff announcements for more than 5,000 probationary employees across several agencies, including those tasked with taking “decisive action against the escalating childhood chronic disease crisis.”