US Unveils New Health Strategy Avoiding Restrictions on Junk Food and Pesticides

On September 9, 2025, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced a new federal health plan aimed at addressing chronic diseases through improved nutrition, enhanced regulation of medical advertising, and initiatives to promote fertility. However, notably absent from this plan are direct measures to limit ultra-processed foods or pesticides—long-standing priorities of Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement—sparking concerns about industry influence.

The 20-page report highlights many of Kennedy's signature initiatives, such as reassessing fluoride in drinking water, revisiting childhood vaccine schedules with expanded parental options, and questioning the safety of antidepressants. Some positions diverge from mainstream medical consensus, especially regarding vaccines and public health policies.

Additional proposals include a campaign to promote fertility awareness, reflecting conservative concerns over declining birth rates, and investigations into electromagnetic radiation, potentially related to cellphone use. Critics point out that the report is largely lacking in concrete details, with some calling it vague, especially on critical issues like tackling America's addiction to junk food.

Despite calls for defining ultra-processed foods and increasing oversight of drug advertising violations, the plan avoids specific regulations. Meanwhile, it explores technological advances to reduce pesticide use, yet simultaneously advocates for deregulation to expedite the approval of new chemical and biological agents, raising alarms about potential health risks. Furthermore, the EPA's efforts to approve more pesticides, despite evidence of harm, continue alongside the administration's emphasis on increasing birth rates, even as environmental policies threaten fertility by weakening air pollution standards.

Critics argue that these inconsistencies reflect a pattern of industry favoritism and a lack of commitment to public health reform. The plan's vague stance and the omission of restrictive measures on harmful foods and chemicals highlight ongoing debates about the balance between industry interests and health priorities.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-unveils-health-curbs-junk-food.html