OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The individual that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is continuing to disclose more of his agenda.
After leaving the Democratic Party in disillusionment over the summer and running for the presidential nomination as an Independent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is increasingly focused on improving the lives and health of American children.
His family name has been on the verge of royalty in Democratic circles ever since the turbulent 1960s. One of the goals that Kennedy has prioritized, which has been extensively covered, is to reduce the amount of ultra-processed meals that youngsters consume.
“We have a generation of kids who are swimming around in a toxic soup right now,” Kennedy previously told Fox News. “We’re letting these industries corrupt our agencies and mass poison them.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, the senior medical analyst for Fox News, appeared on Fox & Friends Monday to discuss the plans of the HHS Secretary nominee to address the prevalence of ultra-processed foods, which currently make up 73% of the U.S. food supply. He said one of the biggest dangers in processed foods is dyes.
“Food coloring is a problem,” he said. “Red Dye No. 3 has been banned in Europe. They’re banning it in California. It’s been associated with cancer in animals.”
He also said studies have linked food dyes to hyperactivity in kids.
Siegel noted that both Democrats and Republicans have advocated for banning certain food dyes, but these efforts have faced strong resistance from the food industry and its lobbyists.
“There’s a concern here that if this ends up with more regulations, that will drive prices up — and food grocery store prices are already a problem,” Siegel added, noting that he agreed with RFK Jr.’s concerns about ultra-processed foods harming children. Some of the most harmful additives include MSG and high-fructose corn syrup, which directly contribute to obesity, according to Siegel.
Nitrates are another concern, as studies have shown they can cause cancer in animals, Siegel explained. He also highlighted the health risks associated with excessive sugar and salt consumption. “People just get drawn in to eat and eat and eat, and they gain weight,” Siegel said.
“When they gain weight, they get high blood pressure, they get diabetes, they get heart disease, and they have a risk for cancer,” he added.
The physician and Fox contributor nevertheless noted that there are a lot of regulatory hurdles that Kennedy Jr. will have to successfully negotiate.
“There’s pressure being put on the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) by the food industry, by the pharmaceutical industry, by the lobby groups in Congress,” he said. “They have so much power, they pretty much dwarf the FDA.”
The goal isn’t to “shut down big pharma,” Siegel clarified, which also echoed a point RFK Jr. made during a previous interview with NBC News. Siegel pointed out that pharmaceutical companies are making significant advancements, including “tremendous new treatments” and personalized solutions driven by artificial intelligence and other biotechnologies.
But, he noted, the health care system tends to operate like a “sick care system,” profiting from people’s illnesses.
“They should give tax incentives for going on the treadmill or taking a walk in the morning or eating farm-to-table food or having more produce,” Siegel said. “We’ve got to go back to a healthier lifestyle, and then we’ll have less money spent on being ultra sick.”
