Dr. Marc Siegel talks about RFK Jr.’s fight against ultra-processed foods

Since President-elect Donald Trump last week selected Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to lead the US Department of Health (HHS), there has been increased focus on Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative.

One of Kennedy’s widely reported goals has been to reduce children’s consumption of ultra-processed foods.

“We have a generation of kids swimming around in a toxic soup right now,” Kennedy previously told Fox News. “We let these industries corrupt our agencies and mass poison them.”

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD IN THE USA POSES RISK TO CHILDREN

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, joined “Fox & Friends” on Monday to discuss the HHS secretary’s nominee’s plans to reduce ultra-processed foods, which have been found to make up 73% of the nation’s food supply.

One of the biggest dangers associated with the current food supply is food coloring, Siegel said.

“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 linked to cancer in animals.”

Food dyes have been linked to hyperactivity in children, Siegel warned.

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Both Democrats and Republicans have pushed to ban food dyes, the doctor noted, but the food industry and food lobbyists have fought back.

“There is a concern here that if this ends up with more regulation, it will drive up prices — and grocery store prices are already a problem,” Siegel added.

Some of the most harmful additives include MSG and high fructose corn syrup, the latter of which “directly causes obesity,” according to Siegel. (iStock)

Regarding ultra-processed foods, Siegel said he agrees with Kennedy’s claims that children are “swimming in a toxic soup.”

Some of the most harmful additives include MSG and high fructose corn syrup, the latter of which “directly causes obesity,” according to Siegel.

“We need to go back to a healthier lifestyle and then we will have less money spent on being ultra sick.”

Nitrates are also a concern as they have been shown to cause cancer in animals, the doctor said, as well as excess sugar and salt.

“People just get drawn to eating and eating and eating, and they gain weight,” Siegel said.

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“When they gain weight, they get high blood pressure, they get diabetes, they get heart disease, and they have a risk of cancer.”

Siegel pointed to some significant regulatory hurdles that Kennedy will have to overcome.

“We have a generation of kids swimming around in a toxic soup right now,” Kennedy previously told Fox News. “We let these industries corrupt our agencies and mass poison them.” (iStock)

“The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is being pressured by the food industry, by the pharmaceutical industry, by lobby groups in Congress,” he said.

“They have so much power that they pretty much dwarf the FDA.”

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However, the goal is not to “squash big pharma,” Siegel said, pointing out that pharmaceutical companies are “doing big things,” such as coming up with “tremendous new treatments” and personalized solutions through artificial intelligence and other biotechnologies.

But he noted that the health care system tends to operate as a “sick care system” that makes money off people’s illnesses.

“People just get drawn to eating and eating and eating, 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 of cancer.” (iStock)

“They should give tax incentives to get on the treadmill or go for a walk in the morning or eat farm-to-table food or have more produce,” Siegel said.

“We need to go back to a healthier lifestyle and then we will have less money spent on being ultra sick.”

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Overall, Siegel said, Kennedy is “on the right track” with his plans to combat ultra-processed foods.

“Whether he can achieve that is another story,” he added.