Leaked MAHA Report Unveils Comprehensive Plan to Improve Children’s Health

A leaked draft of the White House’s “Making Our Children Healthy Again Strategy,” released by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, has proposed an extensive overhaul of federal policies aimed at addressing childhood chronic diseases. Led by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the report outlines strategies to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods, limit chemical exposure, decrease screen time, and reassess vaccine safety protocols.

This initiative builds upon President Trump’s Executive Order 14212, which established the MAHA Commission. The initial report from May 22 identified a troubling increase in childhood chronic illnesses, attributing these trends to factors such as processed diets, exposure to harmful chemicals, sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, and the overmedicalization of health issues.

Key Proposals for Improving Childhood Health

The leaked draft includes several significant proposals aimed at reversing these trends. Among the recommendations is the creation of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) MAHA Chronic Disease Task Force, which would work in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report emphasizes the need to develop a framework to evaluate cumulative chemical exposure and to establish New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for better assessment processes.

Additionally, the plan suggests a focused study on food and lifestyle interventions through programs managed by HHS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and USDA. It recommends expanding NIH’s nutrition research efforts in partnership with the FDA, USDA, and the newly proposed Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). The report also proposes utilizing a new FDA-NIH joint nutrition regulatory science program to enhance food safety and nutrition standards.

Policy Reforms and Structural Changes

The draft highlights a series of policy reforms aimed at reshaping national dietary guidelines and food safety regulations. Key reforms include updating the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), phasing out synthetic food dyes, and expediting the FDA’s review process for natural color additives. Moreover, the report calls for new standards in federal nutrition programs, including school lunch initiatives, and the need to define ultra-processed foods (UPFs) more clearly while revising the FDA’s Front-of-Pack labeling rule.

An important structural change proposed is the reorganization of HHS to establish the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which would take the lead in coordinating the federal response to chronic diseases. Furthermore, the report suggests reforms to the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) process, stating that the FDA will update its regulations to ensure that all new food additives meet safety standards with increased transparency.

While the report outlines ambitious plans for improving children’s health, public health experts have expressed concerns about its implications for vaccine confidence and the prioritization of evidence-based medicine. As this document represents a draft, the finalized version is expected to be released in the coming weeks, potentially shaping the future of health policy for children across the United States.