Make America healthy

In flying international routes at Delta Air Lines I saw our fellow citizens in every one of the 53 countries I visited. Americans can be spotted in a crowd quite easily because they began changing shape in the 80s. Many schools stopped having physical education (PE), and discontinued home economics. Both classes taught children how to take care of their bodies through exercise and nutrition. Now we have become sedentary, sitting for hours in front of our screens. Before American students graduate from high school they will have spent over 30,000 hours in front of a screen. We are losing our health and we need help!

Bobby Kennedy, as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, has made the declining health of Americans a central focus of his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative. He attributes that decline and the rise in chronic diseases to lifestyle, environmental and systemic factors. His agenda, detailed in sources like the MAHA Report, emphasizes a perceived epidemic of chronic conditions since the 1960s.

Kennedy argues that chronic diseases — obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and neurodevelopment disorders like autism — have surged dramatically, claiming that 60 percent of Americans now have at least one chronic condition. In addition, 40 percent of children suffer from allergies and one in 31 are diagnosed with autism. He cites statistics suggesting that in the 1960s, only 2 percent of children had chronic illnesses, compared to 66 percent today, though these figures are contested due to changes in diagnostic criteria and reporting. Kennedy attributes this rise to several key factors: ultra-processed foods (UPFs), environmental toxins, over medicalization and systemic failures in public health institutions.

First, Kennedy points to the dominance of UPFs, which he says constitute nearly 70 percent of a child’s caloric intake, leading to nutrient depletion, obesity and related conditions like diabetes. He argues that post-World War II shifts toward processed foods, driven by corporate consolidation and policies favoring cheap, highcalorie products, have degraded the American diet. The MAHA Report highlights how UPFs, laden with additives and sugars, contribute to chronic diseases, contrasting this with countries like Brazil, which warn against such foods in dietary guidelines. Kennedy advocates for public health campaigns to reduce UPF consumption and promote whole foods, alongside revising SNAP benefits to prioritize nutritious options.

Secondly, as a longtime environmental activist, he links environmental toxins like PFAS (Poly-fluroalkyl substances, aka “forever chemicals”), pesticides (e.g. glyphosate) and microplastics to chronic diseases which include asthma, ADHD and childhood cancers. The MAHA Report notes that the EPA has tracked these links since 2000, but Kennedy argues that regulatory failures have allowed chemical exposure to grow unchecked. He proposes stricter regulations, such as banning harmful substances and investing in clean water infrastructure, though he lacks the authority to directly regulate pesticides, which falls to the EPA.

Thirdly, Kennedy criticizes the over medicalization of Americans, particularly children, pointing to a 250 percent increase in ADHD stimulant prescriptions from 2006 to 2016 and a 1,400 percent rise in teen antidepressant use from 1987 to 2014. He suggests that pharmaceutical influence over agencies like the FDA and CDC prioritizes profit over health, leading to excessive medication use that may exacerbate conditions. The MAHA Report also calls for rigorous vaccine safety studies, reflecting Kennedy’s skepticism about the childhood immunization schedule, though he insists he is not anti-vaccine but rather seeks transparency and true placebo-controlled trials.

While life expectancy in 1960 was 69.7 years, nearly a decade shorter than today’s 77.5 years, chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer were already leading causes of death. Experts like Steven Woolf argue that Kennedy overlooks improvements in public health, such as reduced smoking and better cancer treatments, and say chronic disease prevalence reflects increased longevity and diagnostic advancements.

Kennedy’s MAHA initiative proposes solutions like promoting preventive care, reforming dietary guidelines and enhancing transparency in health agencies. And he practices what he preaches.

Recently I enjoyed seeing a video of both Kennedy and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth performing the new goal for our military of 100 pushups and 50 pull ups in five minutes. Both these individuals strive to make our nation strong, healthy and safe, which is a benefit to us all!

Loren Lippincott represents Legislative District 34 in the Nebraska State Senate. Read his column in the Nance County Journal.