We must all take responsibility for transforming the health care system if we want to make America healthy again.
Americans who believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the government, or anyone else can fix their health for them are setting themselves up for failure. Relying on outside solutions will only doom new White House initiatives, leading to the same fate as Michelle Obama’s “be the change” campaign against obesity — another well-intentioned but ineffective federal effort to improve the nation’s health.
The number of Americans genuinely committed to their health should be far higher.
Americans are understandably anxious about their health — and anyone who isn’t should be. Health care remains a key issue in every presidential election, for good reason. Despite ranking as the top global economy with nearly $5 trillion in health care expenditures, the United States ranks 49th in life expectancy. Are Americans getting any healthier? Hardly.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40% of U.S. adults over age 20 are obese and nearly 74% are at least overweight. This means those at a healthy weight are now a minority. Meanwhile, obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases, which already affect four in 10 Americans, with many suffering from at least two conditions.
Are more Americans simply giving up on their weight? Possibly. The corporate-driven “body positivity” movement, explored in my new book with conservative wellness writer Gina Bontempo, suggests a growing sense of personal apathy. But in “Fat and Unhappy,” we also examine a more likely explanation: Americans have been misled about nutrition for decades by public health authorities.
What appears to be widespread negligence in maintaining metabolic health is, in reality, the result of three consecutive generations following a deeply flawed dietary regimen.
The low-fat diet emerged in the 1960s as a supposed preventive measure against heart disease. The American Heart Association promoted polyunsaturated fats — such as those found in seed oils — over saturated fats from beef and salmon, following substantial financial contributions from food manufacturers seeking to industrialize the American diet. But the low-fat craze, still endorsed by public health officials today, has been disastrous. Americans replaced healthy fats with hyper-processed carbohydrates marketed as “healthy” alternatives, with devastating consequences.
Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. soybean oil consumption increased more than a thousand-fold, while grain consumption has risen nearly 30% since the 1970s. Today, 73% of the American food supply consists of ultra-processed products, primarily engineered by the tobacco industry for maximum addiction. Despite the clear consequences, these nutrient-deficient foods continue making Americans sick.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies profit from the damage, developing generations of weight-loss drugs that sustain a cycle of dependence. Instead of addressing the root causes of poor health, the system incentivizes lifestyles that keep health care dollars flowing into Big Pharma’s pockets.
Any effort to make America healthy again must address the widespread presence of seed oils in the food supply, which the federal government still “recognize[s] as safe.” We need responsible regulation to reform an industry that thrives on public ignorance.
While this may be a key pillar of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health campaign, real change depends on individual action. Whistleblowers may have exposed Big Tobacco’s role in lung cancer, but quitting smoking ultimately remained a personal decision. Americans are responsible for their own health, and by now, most people know the choices they should be making.
Unfortunately, recent polling doesn’t inspire much confidence that they’re willing to make them. A December YouGov survey found that roughly one in five Americans resolved to improve their physical health in the new year, whether by exercising more or eating better. These wellness goals are common post-holiday commitments, but the real problem is that many Americans treat every day like a holiday. U.S. sugar consumption averages 17 teaspoons per day, contributing to widespread obesity and disease.
The number of Americans genuinely committed to their health should be far higher. Even if Kennedy were to remove seed oils from the food supply tomorrow, national health wouldn’t improve significantly if people continue to drink sugary sodas daily and make poor dietary choices.
Too many Americans want a quick fix. A recent survey by the digital health care platform Tebra found that more than a quarter of respondents are turning to weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to meet their goals. As we discuss in “Fat and Unhappy: How ‘Body Positivity’ Is Killing Us (and How to Save Yourself),” these medications provide a long-term treatment for a problem that already has a clear solution. If Americans truly want to reclaim their health, they must adopt sustainable lifestyle changes, focusing on proper diet, sleep, and exercise.
The reality is no one person or government agency can make America healthy again. Americans will have to make themselves healthy again.
Maha, Robert f. kennedy jr., Rfk jr., Health and human services, Make america healthy again, Seed oils, Healthcare, Life expectancy, American heart association, Soybeans, Big pharma, Big tobacco, Fat, Body positivity, Addiction, Opinion & analysis
