It’s unclear what Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first day priorities will be if he becomes the next Secretary of Health and Human Services, but diet and nutrition experts believe that if Kennedy becomes the next Secretary of Health and Human Services, suggests that it has the potential to bring about change in a number of ways. To a healthy diet. These potential reforms could include overhauling school lunch programs, establishing new standards for seed oils and ultra-processed foods, and setting limits on toxins.
Kennedy, who wants to “make America healthy again,” has strongly advocated reform of the food industry, and President-elect Donald Trump has said that if confirmed, he would be given permission to “go wild on health issues.” said.
One big path for Kennedy is overseeing the revision of the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one of the most powerful tools in shaping the public’s perception of what is healthy. Dew. The guidelines must be revised every five years, with the next update due in 2025. If confirmed, Kennedy would ultimately be in charge of hiring experts to draft the guidelines.
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RFK Jr. has been a vocal advocate of reforming the food industry, and President-elect Donald Trump said his confirmation would give him permission to “run wild on health issues.” (Getty/Image)
“I know they really want to focus on kids,” Nina Teicholz, a nutrition expert and founder of The Nutrition Coalition, told FOX News Digital.
Teicholtz, who has been discussing the new National Dietary Guidelines with Kennedy’s team, suggested the guidelines could be used to implement changes to school meals, such as adding sugar limits, but currently such There are no restrictions, Teicholz said. Whole milk will be returned to school cafeterias after being banned under the Obama administration.
Adding whole milk to school cafeterias could limit how often children consume high-sugar flavored milk drinks, Teicholz said. She also said that current recommendations to ban the use of whole milk in schools are “based on the saturated fat content in milk, but there is not enough evidence to show that saturated fat has a negative effect on children.” ” he also pointed out.
“I think President Kennedy has aimed to support evidence-based policy changes,” Teicholtz said. “That means we shouldn’t base our policies on weak science.”
Teicholz added that beyond school lunches, there are other “low-hanging fruit” related to the guidelines that Kennedy could pursue.
She noted that Kennedy could use the guidelines to narrow the definition of ultra-processed foods, an area of the food industry that Kennedy has criticized in the past. Teicholz also said there is a lack of research on “ultra-processed foods” and that President Kennedy may commission more research on such foods.
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Students eat lunch. (AP Photo/Herald Times reporter Sue Pischke)
Dave Asprey, an author and nutrition advocate who has written several New York Times bestselling books on healthier eating, says President Kennedy will add toxin restriction in new dietary guidelines. He said he thought it was highly possible. Scrutiny. He also said he wouldn’t be surprised if President Kennedy and his team introduced new standards for animal feed.
Mr. Asprey added that Mr. Kennedy’s experience as a trial lawyer would be of great help in initiating legal proceedings if he wanted to go after companies that “continue to promote outdated and unsound guidelines.”
“Where can he actually influence real change? Dietary guidelines. Because they change how we feed our children, what we do in hospitals, And because it controls a lot of our public policy,” Asprey said.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. poses with supporters during his presidential campaign before resigning to endorse Trump. (Emily Elkonin/Getty Images)
President Kennedy has recently campaigned for his nomination on Capitol Hill, and Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville (Alabama) said he would exercise restraint when seeking regulation of the food and agriculture industry. He said he told Kennedy he intended to use a light touch. .
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But Mara Fleischman, CEO of the Chef Anne Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes healthy eating, said the Trump administration’s desire for a more limited approach to government governance. The move could conflict with President Kennedy’s efforts to reform the food industry, he said.
“I think time will tell what RFK Jr. can or will do,” Fleischman said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kennedy’s representatives but did not receive a response.
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