The nonprofit Consumer Action for a Strong Economy is criticizing the Trump administration’s “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment” for being scientifically unsound and “misleading.”
Mark Kern, a professor at San Diego State University, compiled concerns from leaders in the food industry, academic institutions, public health experts and the public to produce a report on the findings.
“The MAHA report is not based on sound scientific data – often relying on biased ‘narrative reviews’ – and thereby, falls woefully short of President Trump’s Executive Order to Restore Gold Standard Science to the federal government,” Kern wrote.
Kern’s compilation of findings went after claims in the MAHA report that recommended reducing consumption of seed oils and replacing them with animal fat.
“There are currently no practical alternatives to replacing seed oils with animal fats. Additionally, doing so may have consequences for the food economy and the environment; therefore, any strict guidance considered in the future should be enacted cautiously,” Kern wrote.
Kern cited research that found fatty acids in seed oils produce positive outcomes.
Kern’s report also criticized the administration’s descriptions of ultra-processed foods and argues certain foods are necessary to be enriched with vitamins and minerals. The report took issue with the administration’s claims that ultra-processed foods lead to increased insulin and glycemic responses, linked to diabetes.
“In all, the public should not be left with the notion that the processing of food is inherently dangerous,” Kern wrote.
The Trump administration’s report took issue with the prevalence of pesticides in U.S. homes and American’s biological material. The report cited reproductive and developmental disorders from animal exposures to the pesticides atrazine and glyphosate.
“Some studies have raised concerns about possible links between some of these products and adverse health outcomes, especially in children, but human studies are limited,” the report said.
Kern’s compilation study refuted these findings and said the MAHA report used a selective approach to the studies it reported, while ignoring other studies that did not find a scientific basis for the pesticides adversely affecting human health.
“Since other available studies have failed to detect similar health outcomes, as has been outlined in a recent narrative review, a less biased approach to discussing this topic is certainly warranted to avoid promoting unease among American consumers regarding safety of the food supply,” Kern wrote.
The Trump administration also suggests that high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners are linked to chronic diseases.
“The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugars daily, which amounts to 60 pounds annually,” The administration’s report reads. “This substantial intake, particularly of high fructose corn syrup and other added sugars, may play a significant role in childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.”
“Artificial Sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, used widely in diet sodas and sugar-free foods, have been observed to interfere with the gut microbiome in some studies,” the administration’s report reads. “Gut microbiome shifts have been linked to obesity, metabolic issues, and possibly glucose intolerance.”
Kern argues the report ignores the actual amount an average adult consumes of both artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup. When average amounts are considered, the report argues,
“The doses at which these compounds are consumed are typically extremely low, which would make potential impacts on the gut microbiome unlikely,” Kern wrote.
Kern said the Trump administration should focus less on regulation, instead shifting toward advocating lifestyle modifications and educational resources.
“Rather than establishing strict policy, governmental guidance should include focusing on educating children and their caregivers regarding key eating and lifestyle behaviors such as monitoring portion sizes of foods, attentiveness to appetitive cues, obtaining adequate physical activity, limiting screen time, and consideration of the psychosocial values of consuming delicious foods and beverages within the context of an overall healthful diet,” Kern wrote.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said the second part to the MAHA report will come out at the end of August.
“We need to keep farmers as partners in the MAHA movement if we’re going to have nutrient dense food and that is what we care about,” Kennedy said about the report.
