HHS Launches Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment to Advance Nutrition, Prevention, and Healthy Living

CHATHAM, VA—OCTOBER 14, 2026—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., joined by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Tom Engels, today launched the HHS Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment, a voluntary initiative that encourages health centers nationwide to put nutrition, prevention, and healthy living at the center of patient care.

Secretary Kennedy announced the initiative during a visit to Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS) health center in Chatham, Virginia, where he highlighted the role health centers play in preventing chronic disease and helping patients build healthier lives.

“We will not reverse chronic disease by waiting until Americans get sick,” said Secretary Kennedy. “HHS is equipping health centers to make nutrition, physical activity, healthy sleep, and prevention part of everyday care. This commitment will help doctors and families act earlier, build healthier habits, and prevent disease before it starts.”

Through the voluntary Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment, HRSA-supported health centers are encouraged to advance evidence-based best practices that support:

• Prioritizing prevention and healthy lifestyles by encouraging healthy eating, physical activity, adequate sleep, limited screen time, and other behaviors that can help prevent, delay, and better manage chronic disease;
• Promoting healthy eating by helping patients and families understand and apply the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including choosing whole, nutrient-dense foods and limiting highly processed foods and added sugars;
• Empowering patients and families with practical, actionable information about nutrition, preventive care, and healthy behaviors that support lifelong health;
• Connecting patients to community health activities, including community gardens, fresh produce programs, nutrition education, and physical activity opportunities;
• Strengthening the prevention workforce by equipping health center staff with tools, training, and resources to integrate nutrition and healthy living into everyday patient care; and
• Building a culture of health that encourages healthy choices and empowers patients to take an active role in improving their health.

As part of the initiative, HHS is encouraging participating health centers to display the new food pyramid and use it as a resource to help patients and families understand the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 and make healthier food choices.

“Health centers are trusted partners in their communities, caring for millions of Americans every year,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “They are uniquely positioned to help patients and families make healthier choices and prevent chronic disease before it starts. This commitment builds on the important work health centers are already doing by giving them additional tools and resources to make nutrition, prevention, and healthy living part of everyday patient care.”

HRSA is also making resources available on the new Health Centers and Nutrition webpage, including nutrition education materials, tools for patients and providers, and practical guidance to support conversations about healthy eating and disease prevention.

The Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment builds on the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again Strategy by recognizing the critical role of community-based primary care in addressing chronic disease and improving the health of American families.

Participation in the commitment is voluntary and does not establish new federal requirements or standards of care. A health center’s decision to participate will not affect its eligibility for or receipt of HRSA funding.

Learn more about the HHS Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment.