Part of the “Make America Healthy Again” playbook has leaked

Late last week, a draft of the MAHA Commission's report to President Trump regarding children’s health was leaked to the press.

The 90+ page document, called the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, builds off of a previous MAHA report published in May that explored rising rates of childhood chronic diseases in the US.

Let’s break it down

The new draft report identifies four key drivers of poor health among kids: ultra-processed foods, chemical exposures, lack of exercise, and over-medication. It also proposes the US Health Department take a wide range of actions to address these issues.

A few examples:

• Encouraging food companies to voluntarily phase out petroleum-based food dyes.
• Modernizing nutrient requirements for baby formula.
• Forming a group to evaluate “overprescription trends” involving mental health medications for children.
• Promoting healthy meals in schools and child care settings.
• Re-invigorating the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and using influential council members to inspire American children.
• Calling for more research into potential dangers posed by vaccines, fluoride exposure, and electromagnetic fields.

Public reactions were mixed

On the Republican side, several policymakers and conservative groups welcomed the leaked draft, praising it for focusing on parental choice and resisting what they view as overregulation.

But Democrats and some public health advocates were more skeptical.

• Marion Nestle, a public nutrition expert who praised the initial MAHA report in May, called the draft “vague and voluntary,” saying it relies too heavily on industry cooperation.
• Some scientists said the report’s sections on vaccines and fluoride echo theories not backed by mainstream medical consensus.

Looking ahead…It’s unclear when the White House will publicly release the latest MAHA report, which was delivered to President Trump last Tuesday. Admin officials have declined to confirm the leaked draft’s authenticity, saying any document not officially published “should be treated as speculative literature.”