I understand that, in August, we will receive the prescription for the poor results of the recent Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report focused on children’s health. As a pediatrician, I would like to offer some remedies for the child nutrition shortcomings identified in the report and provide feedback on other health concerns it raises.
Chronic disease rates among children are mentioned first in the report. Authors point to ultra-processed foods, sugar, saturated fat, and chemical additives as contributing to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Remedies for these health concerns are important to children in the U.S., 16 percent of whom are overweight. Another 19 percent are obese and 6 percent are severely obese, according to the NIH.
Of the contributing factors identified in the report, saturated fat may be most important to consider. I often discuss with parents and my young patients ways to reduce saturated fat; the most significant source of saturated fat in children’s diets is dairy products. In fact, schools stopped serving full-fat dairy milk more than 13 years ago because of health concerns.
Instead of cow’s milk and cheese, children can meet their calcium needs from collard greens, calcium-fortified plant milks and orange juice, tofu, soy yogurt, cooked kale, almond butter, cooked broccoli, and other more healthful choices.
According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains is associated with lower body weight in children, which is associated with a decreased risk of chronic disease. Decades of research show that this type of healthful, plant-based eating can help prevent, improve and even reverse type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association endorses a plant-based diet.
There is a strong connection between diet quality and heart health in school-age children, according to the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children study. A higher intake of plant-based fats, high amounts of fiber, and reduced added-sugar consumption were shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A low-fat, plant-based diet also lowers the risk of heart disease in children by improving their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, according to a Cleveland Clinic study. That’s critical as some children now show evidence of significant heart disease beginning as young as age 8. And half of U.S. children and adolescents do not have ideal cholesterol levels, with 25 percent in the clinically high range.
The MAHA report points to ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as contributing to children’s poor health. In truth, though, certain UPFs are associated with reduced risk of health problems. Research published just a few months ago shows that when people switched to a plant-based diet, they lost weight and had significant health improvements, even when the plant foods included ultra-processed products. Whole foods are the best choice for optimal health, however.
I would like to suggest to the researchers considering a prescription for improved child health: As you look toward your August report, please consider the scientific studies that show that the most nutritious food choices for our children are those most beneficial to adults too—beans, legumes, nuts, whole leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits. This is the advice I give to parents and patients, and it should be noted in this upcoming report too.
In the interim, I encourage my physician colleagues to prescribe these foods to our young patients. Nutrition is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat chronic disease and build a healthier future for America’s children.
Joseph Barrocas is a pediatrician and internal medicine physician.
