Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a sweeping new analysis of what's ailing America's children. Dr. Céline Gounder reports.

Washington

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has released a comprehensive analysis examining the primary health challenges facing children in the United States. The report covers a range of issues, including obesity, asthma, and behavioral health conditions.

The analysis identifies four key drivers of chronic disease in American children: ultra-processed foods, exposure to environmental chemicals, insufficient physical activity, and what the report terms "over-medicalization" of children. The latter refers in part to the prescription of medications for conditions such as ADHD.

The report also raises questions about vaccine safety, though historical data referenced by Dr. Céline Gounder indicates that childhood mortality rates have decreased significantly due to vaccines and improvements in sanitation. Regulatory efforts, such as proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidance on food labeling, are cited as potential steps to address some of these drivers, though these rules are yet to be finalized. The analysis notes differing views among government agencies on how best to reduce children's exposure to environmental chemicals.



RFK Jr. unveils new analysis on children's health issues

Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a sweeping new analysis on what's ailing America's children, from obesity and asthma to behavioral health issues. CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, Dr. Selene Gounder joins me now. Good to be with you again, Dr. Gounder. What does this report say the causes are? Well, it's interesting. There's also the comment that American children have never been less healthy. And if you go back in time, say a hundred years ago, one in three kids did not make it to the age of five. Today, that is six to seven out of a thousand that die before the age of five. And what are the big things that have happened since then? Vaccines, which are called into question. The safety of vaccines is called into question in this report. And then improvements in sanitation and hygiene. In this particular report, they are citing four main drivers of chronic diseases among our children here in the United States, including ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, a lack of physical activity, and quote, over-medicalization of children. That last category seems like it could fit all kinds of things. Could fit all kinds of things. I think largely it's referring to medications being given for conditions like ADHD. How does this fit into or not sort of accepted medical practice and thoughts about kids? Well, we know ultra-processed foods are not very good for you. In fact, under the Biden administration, the FDA had been drafting guidance rules on what front of package labeling should look like to make it much more clear to people, hey, this is high in sodium and high in fat and probably not healthy for you. Those rules have not yet been finalized. That would be a step in the right direction. I think, you know, handing off from one administration to the other towards curbing the effects of ultra-processed food, you have Lee Zeldin, the head of the EPA, who has said, look, we don't want more regulations, but I'm not quite sure how you're going to curb environmental chemical exposures without more regulation. So there's some real malalignment between this Maha Commission report and also what's in the big, bold, beautiful bill that just passed the House. All right. Dr. Celine Gannon, thank you.

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