With the new dietary guidelines for Americans still being finalized, President-elect Donald Trump has urged Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to “go wild on the food,” signaling the potential for major shifts in national nutrition policy.
With diet-related illnesses costing the nation more than $1 trillion annually, the guidelines carry immense weight in shaping the eating habits—and health outcomes—of millions. Kennedy’s leadership could usher in significant changes, including stricter scrutiny of ultra-processed foods and a push to reduce corporate influence over federal health recommendations. As the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) prepares its report, Kennedy faces a rare opportunity to address the United States’ mounting diet-related health crisis.
