Overview

• The Make America Healthy Again Commission's inaugural report diagnoses four drivers of chronic diseases in children: poor diet, chemical exposure, sedentary lifestyles, and overmedicalization.
• The report recommends federal reviews of vaccine schedules, ultra-processed foods, and commonly used pesticides but stops short of proposing specific regulatory changes.
• Highlighted concerns include 70% of children's caloric intake coming from ultra-processed foods and sharp increases in ADHD and antidepressant prescriptions.
• Critics, including medical ethicists and industry groups, have raised concerns over evidence gaps, potential economic impacts, and the omission of other key health risks like firearms and smoking.
• Policy recommendations are expected within the next 100 days, though the commission currently lacks a budget or concrete action plan to implement solutions.