The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Report, released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 22, 2025, targets the rising tide of childhood chronic diseases, spotlighting ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, and pharmaceutical overreach as key culprits.  
‍

The report confronts a dire reality that's been known by public health officials but never addressed as a Presidential priority before: 1 in 5 children over 6 years old are obese (a 270% surge since the 1970s), 1 in 4 teens are pre-diabetic (doubling in two decades), and childhood cancer is up nearly 40% since 1975. Autism affects 1 in 31 children, teen depression doubled from 2009 to 2019, and there's been an 88% rise in food allergies from 1997 to 2018.
‍

The report’s critique of processed foods, including additives like sugar and food dyes, will pressure major food and beverage companies, such as PepsiCo, Coke, Archer Daniels, General Mills and Kraft Heinz, as scrutiny and regulation of unhealthy products intensifies. Similarly, its call for reassessing chemical exposures—naming pesticides like glyphosate and “forever chemicals” like PFOAs—may impact agribusiness giants like Monsanto (Bayer) and chemical manufacturers like 3M. Investors in these sectors should brace for regulatory shifts or consumer backlash. Though the report stops short of proposing specific bans at this time, its architect, RFK Jr, spent a lifetime as a Democratic environmental lawyer suing General Electric, Ford, nuclear power companies, and Monsanto in varying lawsuits for pollution on behalf of victims. We can certainly expect heavy oversight coming.
‍

On the flip side, the MAHA report opens opportunities for growth in health-focused industries. Its emphasis on promoting wholesome, nutrient-rich foods could boost companies in organic and natural food markets, such as Whole Foods (Amazon) or smaller players like Sprouts Farmers Market. However, the report’s skepticism toward the childhood vaccine schedule and certain medications, like SSRIs, could unsettle pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer or Moderna, or emerging players like HIMS.

‍