MAHA Commission Unveils Landmark Report Exposing Root Causes of Childhood Chronic Disease Crisis

WASHINGTON, DC—May 22, 2025—The Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) today released a groundbreaking assessment identifying key drivers behind the childhood chronic disease crisis. Coming just 98 days after President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the MAHA Commission and tasking it with delivering a “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment,” the report exposes a range of contributing factors—including poor diet, accumulation of environmental toxins, insufficient physical activity, chronic stress, and overmedicalization.

By examining these drivers, the assessment arms MAHA Commission stakeholders and partners with clear evidence that will support the development of effective policy interventions where they can deliver the greatest impact.

“We will end the childhood chronic disease crisis by attacking its root causes head-on—not just managing its symptoms,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We will follow the truth wherever it leads, uphold rigorous science, and drive bold policies that put the health, development, and future of every child first. I’m grateful to President Trump for his leadership—and for trusting me to lead this fight to root out corruption, restore scientific integrity, and reclaim the health of our children.”

“We must do more to improve the health outcomes of our kids and families, and President Trump knows agriculture is at the heart of the solution. America’s farmers and ranchers dedicate their lives to the noble cause of feeding their country and the world, and in doing so have created the safest and most abundant and affordable food supply in the world. We are working to make sure our kids and families are consuming the healthiest food we produce,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “I look forward to continuing to work with Secretary Kennedy and other members of the MAHA Commission to improve our nation’s health.”

“America’s childhood chronic disease crisis will be solved through innovation,” said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. “At EPA, we will do our part to protect human health and the environment while fulfilling all of our statutory obligations to safely regulate chemicals needed for every part of modern life to transport, build, feed, and power the Great American Comeback. This report shows America will continue to be the energy, industrial, and agricultural power of the world—and we can continue this while ensuring we have the healthiest children.”

The need for this report is clear:

• Today in the U.S. more than 1 in 5 children over 6 years old are obese. This is a more than 270% increase compared to the 1970s.
• Prevalence of pre-diabetes in teens is more than 1 in 4 teens, having more than doubled over the last 2 decades.
• Childhood cancer incidence has risen over nearly 40% since 1975, especially in children aged 0-19.
• Autism spectrum disorder impacts 1 in 31 children by age 8.
• Teenage depression rates nearly doubled from 2009 to 2019, and with more than 1 in 4 teenage girls in 2022 reporting a major depressive episode in the past year.
• Three million high school students seriously considered suicide in 2023.
• Between 1997 and 2018, childhood food‑allergy prevalence rose 88%.

Next steps will include supporting gold-standard scientific research and developing a comprehensive strategy. The MAHA commission now has 82 days to produce the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, based on the findings from today’s assessment.

The National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will act swiftly to close research gaps and drive decisive action against the escalating childhood chronic disease crisis. From overhauling GRAS oversight to harnessing AI for real-time surveillance and tackling the replication crisis, these agencies are on the front lines. These agencies will lead the charge in ending the childhood chronic disease epidemic to Make America Healthy Again.