Robert F. Kennedy Jr. MAHA Report Exposes Unprecedented Child Health Crisis Threatening National Security

The Make America Healthy Again Commission (MAHA), led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Thursday released a report detailing the alarming deterioration of child health in the United States, noting that today's children may live shorter lives than their parents despite the fact that the country spends more per capita on health care than other developed nations.

The report identifies multiple factors contributing to the increase in chronic diseases in young people, from ultra-processed foods to overprescription of medications and exposure to environmental chemicals.

In addition, the report, the result of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February, paints a troubling picture: more than 40% of the 73 million U.S. children (ages 0-17)suffer from at least one chronic disease, such as asthma, allergies, obesity, autoimmune diseases or behavioral disorders, according to CDC data.

Among the most notable findings, it notes that adolescent depression nearly doubled between 2009 and 2019, more than one in five children older than 6 years is obese, one in 31 children is diagnosed with autism by age 8, and childhood cancer cases have increased 40% since 1975.

Impact on National Security

The commissioners stressed that this health crisis has direct implications for National Security. Approximately 75% of young Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the Army due to health problems such as obesity, asthma, allergies, autoimmune diseases or behavioral disorders.

"We now have the most obese, depressed, disabled, medicated population in the history of the world, and we cannot keep going down the same road," said FDA commissioner Marty Makary, according to Fox News.

Factors

The report points to several causes of this "chronic disease crisis." Among them, it highlights a food system that, while deemed "100% safe" by Trump Administration officials, could be healthier by reducing ultra-processed foods with added sugars, chemical additives, and saturated fats and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Other factors include exposure to environmental chemicals, such as pesticides and microplastics, and a cultural shift toward sedentary lifestyles, with children spending more time in front of screens rather than playing outdoors.

A critical point in the report is the increase in the prescription of medications to children.

Between 2006 and 2016, prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) grew by 250%, despite a lack of evidence of long-term improvements.

Antidepressant prescriptions for children increased by 1,400% between 1987 and 2014, and antipsychotic medications grew by 800% between 1993 and 2009.

Comparatively, psychotropics for ADHD are prescribed 2.5 times more in American children than in British and 19 times more than in Japanese, suggesting a U.S.-specific overdiagnosis and overtreatment problem.

Fluoride

The report also addresses exposure to fluoride, a common additive in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. A 2025 systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics, based on 74 studies, found a statistically significant association between higher-than-recommended fluoride levels and reduced IQ in children.

More than 60% of Americans, and more than 70% of those who use public water systems, consume fluoridated water, according to the report. The EPA is reviewing these data to consider possible adjustments to the federal drinking water standard.

Implications

The director of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, stressed the seriousness of the findings: "The next generation of children will live shorter lives than their parents," he said. "For me as a parent, that is absolutely shocking."

The report underscores that, despite spending more than twice as much per capita on health care as other high-income countries, the United States has the lowest life expectancy among its peers and higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Kennedy described the report as a "diagnosis" of American health, with a "prescription" of policies to be released in 100 days, on Aug. 30, to address these issues.

Call to action

The report, which includes international comparisons, seeks to start a "complex conversation" on child health, according to Kennedy.

The commission, which includes leaders such as Lee Zeldin (EPA), Brooke Rollins (USDA), and Doug Collins (Department of Veterans Affairs), proposes a shift toward a proactive health system that prioritizes prevention and wellness.

“After a century of costly and ineffective approaches, the federal government will lead a coordinated transformation of our food, health, and scientific systems,” the report concludes, highlighting the urgency of addressing these trends to ensure a healthier future for American children and Homeland Security.