RFK is poised for an early chance to shape American dietary habits
Should Kennedy be confirmed to head the Department of Health and Human Services, he would oversee the appointment of individuals responsible for revising the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
TroibNews 
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aims to change the eating habits of Americans, and he may have an opportunity to pursue that goal early next year.
If he is confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would be instrumental in selecting individuals responsible for updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an essential government tool that influences public understanding of nutrition and health. This could be a significant avenue for him to address the ultra-processed foods and additives that he believes contribute to health issues among Americans.
The Dietary Guidelines form the basis of the well-known “food pyramid,” appearing on educational materials across classrooms and in doctors’ offices, and guiding the government's expenditure of billions on food for nutrition assistance programs, school meals, and more. Although the guidelines cannot enforce healthier eating or compel food manufacturers to change their products, they do not undergo the lengthy regulatory review and potential legal challenges typical of binding policy changes.
“If you’re going to have leadership that wants to think about shaking up health and nutrition and thinking about how the government holistically gives advice about nutrition … the Dietary Guidelines are a pretty one-stop shop,” remarked Sarah Gallo, a top lobbyist with the Consumer Brands Association, which represents major food and beverage companies. She noted that the timing of Kennedy’s nomination is “sort of perfect for that.”
Kennedy has expressed a desire for substantial changes in the food system, but his role at HHS wouldn't grant him direct control over most food policies, which largely fall under the Agriculture Department’s purview. However, the Dietary Guidelines represent an area where both agencies collaborate, initially appointing an external Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which reviews contemporary nutrition science, and later overseeing a team of federal nutrition scientists who update the guidelines.
Under federal law, HHS and USDA are required to finalize the 2025 revisions by the end of next year, a task that entails assembling a writing team and obtaining approvals from both agency secretaries.
Kennedy has indicated he wants to abolish “entire departments, like the nutrition department at FDA,” a move that could influence the composition of those who prepare the guidelines.
He is similarly critical of the DGAC, which released a report on the latest nutrition science last December. Past criticisms of the DGAC include allegations of too close ties to lobbying efforts from food companies trying to sway its recommendations – a concern that Kennedy addressed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in September.
In the op-ed, Kennedy asserted that in the future, those advisory panelists should be barred “from making money from food or drug companies.” He has long contended that corporate interests have compromised government regulators, enabling large food corporations to promote unhealthy products.
As early as 2012, Kennedy warned of the risks presented by corporate influence on public policy. Throughout his campaign, he advocated for reversing “80 years” of agricultural policy to encourage healthier food production and move away from conventional farming practices that rely heavily on pesticides.
A spokesperson for Kennedy has not provided comments in response to multiple requests.
The recent DGAC report called for scrutiny of red meat and added sugars in the next revision, though nutritionist Marion Nestle from New York University pointed out that the report avoided strong criticism of ultra-processed foods, a primary target for Kennedy. At HHS, Nestle believes Kennedy could advocate for more vigorous recommendations against ultra-processed foods.
Kennedy could also encourage the writers of the guidelines to set stricter criteria for ultra-processed foods, which are generally characterized by numerous chemical additives and preservatives. Being a critic of plant-based cooking oils, Kennedy may challenge the advisory committee’s support for oils like canola, instead promoting saturated fats such as beef tallow, which he even used to prepare his Thanksgiving turkey, as shown in a video he shared on X. Nina Teicholz, founder of the nonprofit Nutrition Coalition and a proponent of saturated fats, stated via email that discussions with Kennedy's team regarding the Dietary Guidelines are already in progress.
Those closest to Kennedy are also pushing for adjustments in dietary guidelines and their formulation. Calley Means, a wellness executive, former industry lobbyist, and potential chief of staff for Kennedy, recently declared on Instagram that the dietary guidelines committee “should be abolished,” advocating for a “task force” to address the malfunctioning agricultural subsidy system and promote policies favoring regenerative practices that benefit health and environmental sustainability.
Calley Means' sister, Casey, a surgeon educated at Stanford who now serves as a wellness influencer and advisor to Kennedy, criticized corporate influence on the DGAC during a Capitol Hill roundtable hosted by Sen. Ron Johnson in September.
Casey Means has also urged policymakers to lower the recommended sugar intake in a healthy diet, denouncing the first Trump administration for capitulating to “the sugar industry, the processed food industry, and the money” in 2020.
Despite concerns about conflicts of interest, some nutritionists argue that the DGAC's most recent report aligns with many of Kennedy’s broader goals, emphasizing real food over ultra-processed options. Parke Wilde, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, remarked that the Dietary Guidelines are already “reasonably supportive” of “some of RFK’s broad goals” regarding nutrition, although they lack an activist stance against ultra-processed foods.
One area of uncertainty surrounding Kennedy, who, like Trump, is a teetotaler, is his stance on alcohol, a contentious subject in the upcoming guideline revisions. Two panels of experts are reviewing alcohol's health implications, but the alcohol industry has raised concerns about perceived biases within one panel, prompting responses from numerous congressional offices worried about potential recommendations for reduced alcohol consumption.
While the Dietary Guidelines might represent Kennedy’s first chance to signal his commitment to overhauling food policy, achieving many of his objectives will require less glamorous regulatory efforts.
Some skeptics question whether Kennedy will put in the necessary efforts for meaningful changes, particularly given the challenges posed by influential food corporations and their well-entrenched lobbyists in Washington and the Republican party.
“If the first [Trump] administration is to be judged, oftentimes there's a lot of … mishegoss and chaos created,” commented Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, which supports Kennedy’s aims to minimize food additives. “And while we're distracted by some of the things that are said during these chaotic periods, we mustn't lose sight of the other things that might be going on in Congress.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
If he is confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would be instrumental in selecting individuals responsible for updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an essential government tool that influences public understanding of nutrition and health. This could be a significant avenue for him to address the ultra-processed foods and additives that he believes contribute to health issues among Americans.
The Dietary Guidelines form the basis of the well-known “food pyramid,” appearing on educational materials across classrooms and in doctors’ offices, and guiding the government's expenditure of billions on food for nutrition assistance programs, school meals, and more. Although the guidelines cannot enforce healthier eating or compel food manufacturers to change their products, they do not undergo the lengthy regulatory review and potential legal challenges typical of binding policy changes.
“If you’re going to have leadership that wants to think about shaking up health and nutrition and thinking about how the government holistically gives advice about nutrition … the Dietary Guidelines are a pretty one-stop shop,” remarked Sarah Gallo, a top lobbyist with the Consumer Brands Association, which represents major food and beverage companies. She noted that the timing of Kennedy’s nomination is “sort of perfect for that.”
Kennedy has expressed a desire for substantial changes in the food system, but his role at HHS wouldn't grant him direct control over most food policies, which largely fall under the Agriculture Department’s purview. However, the Dietary Guidelines represent an area where both agencies collaborate, initially appointing an external Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which reviews contemporary nutrition science, and later overseeing a team of federal nutrition scientists who update the guidelines.
Under federal law, HHS and USDA are required to finalize the 2025 revisions by the end of next year, a task that entails assembling a writing team and obtaining approvals from both agency secretaries.
Kennedy has indicated he wants to abolish “entire departments, like the nutrition department at FDA,” a move that could influence the composition of those who prepare the guidelines.
He is similarly critical of the DGAC, which released a report on the latest nutrition science last December. Past criticisms of the DGAC include allegations of too close ties to lobbying efforts from food companies trying to sway its recommendations – a concern that Kennedy addressed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in September.
In the op-ed, Kennedy asserted that in the future, those advisory panelists should be barred “from making money from food or drug companies.” He has long contended that corporate interests have compromised government regulators, enabling large food corporations to promote unhealthy products.
As early as 2012, Kennedy warned of the risks presented by corporate influence on public policy. Throughout his campaign, he advocated for reversing “80 years” of agricultural policy to encourage healthier food production and move away from conventional farming practices that rely heavily on pesticides.
A spokesperson for Kennedy has not provided comments in response to multiple requests.
The recent DGAC report called for scrutiny of red meat and added sugars in the next revision, though nutritionist Marion Nestle from New York University pointed out that the report avoided strong criticism of ultra-processed foods, a primary target for Kennedy. At HHS, Nestle believes Kennedy could advocate for more vigorous recommendations against ultra-processed foods.
Kennedy could also encourage the writers of the guidelines to set stricter criteria for ultra-processed foods, which are generally characterized by numerous chemical additives and preservatives. Being a critic of plant-based cooking oils, Kennedy may challenge the advisory committee’s support for oils like canola, instead promoting saturated fats such as beef tallow, which he even used to prepare his Thanksgiving turkey, as shown in a video he shared on X. Nina Teicholz, founder of the nonprofit Nutrition Coalition and a proponent of saturated fats, stated via email that discussions with Kennedy's team regarding the Dietary Guidelines are already in progress.
Those closest to Kennedy are also pushing for adjustments in dietary guidelines and their formulation. Calley Means, a wellness executive, former industry lobbyist, and potential chief of staff for Kennedy, recently declared on Instagram that the dietary guidelines committee “should be abolished,” advocating for a “task force” to address the malfunctioning agricultural subsidy system and promote policies favoring regenerative practices that benefit health and environmental sustainability.
Calley Means' sister, Casey, a surgeon educated at Stanford who now serves as a wellness influencer and advisor to Kennedy, criticized corporate influence on the DGAC during a Capitol Hill roundtable hosted by Sen. Ron Johnson in September.
Casey Means has also urged policymakers to lower the recommended sugar intake in a healthy diet, denouncing the first Trump administration for capitulating to “the sugar industry, the processed food industry, and the money” in 2020.
Despite concerns about conflicts of interest, some nutritionists argue that the DGAC's most recent report aligns with many of Kennedy’s broader goals, emphasizing real food over ultra-processed options. Parke Wilde, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, remarked that the Dietary Guidelines are already “reasonably supportive” of “some of RFK’s broad goals” regarding nutrition, although they lack an activist stance against ultra-processed foods.
One area of uncertainty surrounding Kennedy, who, like Trump, is a teetotaler, is his stance on alcohol, a contentious subject in the upcoming guideline revisions. Two panels of experts are reviewing alcohol's health implications, but the alcohol industry has raised concerns about perceived biases within one panel, prompting responses from numerous congressional offices worried about potential recommendations for reduced alcohol consumption.
While the Dietary Guidelines might represent Kennedy’s first chance to signal his commitment to overhauling food policy, achieving many of his objectives will require less glamorous regulatory efforts.
Some skeptics question whether Kennedy will put in the necessary efforts for meaningful changes, particularly given the challenges posed by influential food corporations and their well-entrenched lobbyists in Washington and the Republican party.
“If the first [Trump] administration is to be judged, oftentimes there's a lot of … mishegoss and chaos created,” commented Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, which supports Kennedy’s aims to minimize food additives. “And while we're distracted by some of the things that are said during these chaotic periods, we mustn't lose sight of the other things that might be going on in Congress.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
