White House releases RFK Jr.-led report on chronic disease (May 2025) The MAHA Report, Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment Article

[Michael Harrop]

• https://www.whitehouse.gov/maha/
• https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/maha-commission-childhood-chronic-disease-root-causes.html

The 70-page report: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/WH-The-MAHA-Report-Assessment.pdf

Articles: https://www.ecosia.org/search?q=Make+America+Healthy+Again+report

5 results for "microbiome" (including citations). 18 results for "antibiotic" (including citations).

The media coverage doesn't mention "antibiotics", but rather "prescription drugs". Eg:

The White House released an expansive report that blames a crisis of chronic disease in children on ultraprocessed foods, chemical exposures, lack of physical activity, stress and excessive use of prescription drugs.

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Overall, the importance of the gut microbiome and the damage from antibiotics to the gut microbiome is not well-stated. This is my main complaint about the report.

This was the "First 100 days report".

Within 100 days of the date of this order, the Commission shall submit to the President, through the Chair and the Executive Director, the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment.

Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Commission shall submit to the President, through the Chair and the Executive Director, a Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy based on the findings from the Assessment.

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This assessment provides four potential drivers:

• Poor diet: The American diet has shifted dramatically toward ultra-processed foods (UPFs), leading to nutrient depletion, increased caloric intake, and exposure to harmful additives. Nearly 70% of children’s calories now come from UPFs, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
• Aggregation of Environmental Chemicals: Children are exposed to an increasing number of synthetic chemicals, some of which have been linked to developmental issues and chronic disease. The current regulatory framework should be continually evaluated to ensure that chemicals and other exposures do not interact together to pose a threat to the health of our children.
• Lack of Physical Activity and Chronic Stress: American children are experiencing unprecedented levels of inactivity, screen use, sleep deprivation, and chronic stress. These factors significantly contribute to the rise in chronic diseases and mental health challenges.
• Overmedicalization: There is a concerning trend of overprescribing medications to children, often driven by conflicts of interest in medical research, regulation, and practice. This has led to unnecessary treatments and long-term health risks.

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They name:

• Pesticides, microplastics, dioxins, phthalates, PFAS, heavy metals, air pollutants, industrial residues, electromagnetic radiation, and more.
• Pervasive technology use and Corporate Influence on Children’s Social Media Use.
• Stimulants for ADHD, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, Antibiotics, vaccines, and more.
• Corporate capture and revolving door.
• The food industry funds the bulk of research in the field.
• Ultra-processed foods and food additives.
• A small number of corporations control a large share of food production.
• Distorted Nutrition Research and Marketing.

This is a good report that makes me hopeful that they'll actually solve this.

SECTION FOUR - The Overmedicalization of Our Kids, starts on Page 58 and is a little disappointing, but not terrible. Eg:

Antibiotics are over-prescribed to millions of US children annually, causing serious harms like rashes, diarrhea, recurrent infections, allergic reactions, and antibiotic resistance.

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That's not a great description of the situation. But they list it again:

Antibiotics: Children exposed to antibiotics in the first 2 years of life are more likely to develop asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, celiac disease, overweight, obesity, and ADHD. The antibiotic prescription rate from birth until age 2 is over 2,500 antibiotic prescriptions for every 1,000 children this age.

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This wording they use matches my own:

Antibiotics for outpatient children reached 49 million in 2022. It has been estimated that about 35% are unnecessary, suggesting every year about 15 million children are prescribed unnecessary antibiotics, offering only risk with no chance of benefit.

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Next Steps – Supporting Gold-Standard Scientific Research and Developing a Comprehensive Strategy, Page 72.

 

[Michael Harrop]

RFK Jr.’s MAHA Report Is ‘Rife With Errors’ — Including at Least Seven Fake Sources (May 29, 2025) https://www.mediaite.com/politics/rfk-jr-s-maha-report-is-rife-with-errors-including-at-least-seven-fake-sources/

The MAHA Report Cites Studies That Don’t Exist. The Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” report misinterprets some studies and cites others that don’t exist, according to the listed authors. https://www.notus.org/health-science/make-america-healthy-again-report-citation-errors

In it, more than 500 sources were used to detail supposed issues within the U.S.’s health system.

According to a Thursday piece from NOTUS, however, the MAHA Report cited multiple studies that don’t appear to be real.

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Epidemiologist Katherine Keyes is listed in the MAHA report as the first author of a study on anxiety in adolescents. When NOTUS reached out to her this week, she was surprised to hear of the citation. She does study mental health and substance use, she said. But she didn’t write the paper listed.

“The paper cited is not a real paper that I or my colleagues were involved with,” Keyes told NOTUS via email. “We’ve certainly done research on this topic, but did not publish a paper in JAMA Pediatrics on this topic with that co-author group, or with that title.”

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Sounds like AI hallucinations.

The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to NOTUS’s request for comment.

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Dr. Martin Makary was asked about it on PBS: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/fda-commissioner-defends-changes-to-covid-vaccine-recommendations

 

[Michael Harrop]

Given the suggestion of AI involvement in the writing of the document, I decided to ask ChatGPT:

What are the main causes of the chronic disease crisis?​

It said:

The chronic disease crisis—marked by rising rates of conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases—is driven by a complex interplay of behavioral, environmental, social, and systemic factors. Here are the main causes:

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1. Unhealthy Lifestyles​

• Poor diet: High intake of processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats.
• Physical inactivity: Sedentary lifestyles are widespread, especially with screen-based entertainment and desk jobs.
• Tobacco use: A major risk factor for heart disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: Increases risk of liver disease, cancers, and cardiovascular problems.

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2. Obesity and Overweight​

• A major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and musculoskeletal disorders.
• Strongly linked to diet, physical inactivity, and socioeconomic factors.

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3. Aging Population​

• As people live longer, the prevalence of age-related chronic diseases rises.
• Many chronic diseases are cumulative and worsen with age.

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4. Environmental and Social Determinants​

• Pollution: Air and water pollution contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
• Built environment: Lack of access to safe spaces for physical activity or healthy food options.
• Poverty and inequality: Low income and education levels are associated with higher chronic disease risk due to limited access to healthcare, healthy food, and wellness resources.

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5. Healthcare System Failures​

• Focus on treatment over prevention: Many systems are reactive rather than proactive.
• Fragmented care: Lack of coordination can result in poor chronic disease management.
• Limited access: Especially in underserved populations, there may be poor access to screening, early detection, and continuous care.

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6. Globalization and Urbanization​

• Increased access to processed foods and sedentary jobs, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions.
• Changes in lifestyle patterns (e.g., fewer home-cooked meals, reduced physical labor).

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7. Mental Health and Stress​

• Chronic stress and poor mental health are linked with unhealthy coping mechanisms and can exacerbate chronic disease conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

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Would you like a visual summary or infographic of this breakdown?

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I asked:

Why didn't you mention the gut microbiome and antibiotics?​

It said:

Great point—and you're absolutely right to highlight the gut microbiome and antibiotic use as important and often underappreciated contributors to the chronic disease crisis. Here's how they fit into the bigger picture:

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Gut Microbiome​

The gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria and other microbes living in the digestive tract—plays a central role in health and disease. Disruptions (or "dysbiosis") are increasingly linked to chronic diseases such as:

• Obesity and type 2 diabetes: Microbial imbalances can affect insulin sensitivity and fat storage.
• Inflammatory diseases: Dysbiosis can trigger chronic low-grade inflammation, a driver of many diseases including heart disease and autoimmune disorders.
• Mental health: The gut-brain axis links the microbiome to depression, anxiety, and even neurodegenerative diseases.
• IBD and IBS: These conditions are directly related to altered gut microbiota composition.

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Antibiotic Overuse and Misuse​

• Disruption of gut flora: Frequent or inappropriate antibiotic use can kill beneficial bacteria, leading to long-term microbial imbalances.
• Immune system effects: A weakened or improperly trained immune system due to altered microbiota can increase susceptibility to chronic inflammatory conditions.
• Antibiotic resistance: Though more directly related to infectious disease, the downstream effects (e.g., more difficult-to-treat infections) can indirectly worsen chronic conditions.

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Why These Often Get Overlooked​

In mainstream discussions, gut health is still emerging as a key factor—despite growing scientific support. Public health narratives often focus on behavioral and lifestyle risk factors because they're more visible and actionable on a large scale. However, microbiome science is rapidly becoming central to understanding chronic disease etiology.

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Would you like a version of the chronic disease causes list updated to include gut health and antibiotic impacts?

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