Recently, the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement has gained traction with the new administration, claiming to advocate for improved health across the nation. An Executive Order establishing the “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission,” on February 13, 2025 to be led by the new Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. At first glance, this might seem like a noble cause, and that’s definitely how this “movement” is being portrayed to the public. However, when we peel back the layers, it becomes evident that MAHA is not about true health at all. Instead, it perpetuates harmful rhetoric rooted in weight stigma, misinformation, and fear-mongering.
The MAHA movement operates under the assumption that America is in a health crisis solely because of weight gain. This premise is both misleading and dangerous. Research has consistently shown that weight is not the sole determinant of health. In fact, diet and exercise only make up about 15% of health, with only 36% of health being individual behaviors. The other 64% of what makes up health outcomes include genetics and biology, environment, social circumstances, and access to quality healthcare. Health is so much more than what’s in our “control.” And even when we do think about nourishment and exercise, I wonder if someone has access to a variety of foods or do they live in an area without a grocery store? What is someone’s stress level on a day-to-day basis? Do they have access to potable water? What is their quality of sleep like?
Yet, MAHA disregards this evidence, pushing the outdated and debunked notion that weight loss equals health. This not only ignores the vast body of literature showing that intentional weight loss efforts frequently fail long-term but also contributes to disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and shame-based health approaches.
The psychology behind fear-mongering tactics like those employed by MAHA is particularly insidious. When people are confronted with frightening narratives about health “crises” and body size, their amygdala—the brain’s fear center—becomes activated, often overriding rational thought processes. A great example of this is the “obesity epidemic.” To dive more into this, I highly recommend this Maintenance Phase podcast episode.
This neurological response makes individuals more susceptible to accepting simplistic solutions without critical evaluation. Fear-based messaging exploits fundamental human insecurities about mortality and social acceptance, creating a perfect environment for misinformation to flourish.
Research in social psychology demonstrates that once fear is established, confirmation bias leads people to selectively seek information that validates their fears while dismissing contradictory evidence.
…Sound familiar?…
This cognitive pattern traps individuals in cycles of anxiety, making them more likely to support extreme measures and quick fixes that promise safety—precisely the environment where weight-stigmatizing policies and restrictive eating behaviors take root.
MAHA thrives on fear tactics and public shaming, reinforcing harmful stereotypes about fatness and health. It paints a bleak picture, blaming individuals for systemic issues such as food deserts, lack of healthcare access, and the diet industry’s relentless push for unsustainable weight loss interventions. This kind of messaging does not inspire sustainable health-promoting behaviors; rather, it fosters anxiety, guilt, and disordered relationships with food and exercise.
Moreover, the movement often conflates personal responsibility with health outcomes, ignoring the vast social determinants of health. Factors like socioeconomic status, access to quality food and healthcare, chronic stress and/or pain, and environmental conditions play a far more significant role in health than weight alone. By focusing exclusively on body size, MAHA distracts from real solutions that could benefit public health, such as improved healthcare equity, mental health support, and policies addressing systemic barriers to wellness.
Another alarming aspect of the MAHA movement is its push to ban food ingredients simply because they have scientific names that may be difficult to pronounce. This rhetoric is not based on legitimate nutritional science but rather on fear and misinformation. Ingredients like riboflavin (vitamin B2) and carrageenan (a seaweed-derived thickener that’s added to foods) are frequently demonized despite their safety and common use in food production.
This kind of thinking promotes an irrational fear—while ignoring the fact that everything we consume is made up of chemical compounds, including natural and essential nutrients. By spreading unnecessary fear around safe and regulated food ingredients, MAHA distracts from more pressing public health concerns, such as food insecurity!
If the MAHA movement truly cared about public health, it would focus on strengthening federal assistance programs like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to ensure increased food access.
It would advocate for policies that address food insecurity and work to eliminate food deserts—areas where people lack access to affordable, nutrient-dense food options. Instead of stigmatizing individuals for their body size, true public health efforts should prioritize making nutritious foods available and accessible to all, improving healthcare equity, and ensuring that health interventions are inclusive and free from weight bias.
History has shown us that public health initiatives based on weight loss are ineffective and often harmful. “Anti-obesity” campaigns have contributed to increased weight stigma, which has been linked to negative health outcomes, including increased cortisol levels, avoidance of medical care, and higher rates of eating disorders.
Additionally, many so-called “health” policies that stem from movements like MAHA push restrictive dieting and punitive measures against those in larger bodies. These approaches do not lead to better health outcomes; instead, they increase the risk of weight cycling (repeated loss and regain of weight), disordered eating behaviors, and psychological distress.
Rather than succumbing to fear-based narratives like MAHA, we need to shift our focus toward inclusive, science-backed health initiatives. The Health at Every Size (HAES)®-aligned approach advocates for equitable, bias-free healthcare for people of all sizes, recognizing that anti-fat bias and weight stigma harms everyone. True care is only possible when providers actively dismantle systemic and personal biases to ensure inclusive, weight-neutral support. HAES® emphasizes that wellbeing, care, and healing are both deeply personal and based in community, requiring collective care and equitable access to resources (ie. food, water, a clean environment…). We know that health exists on a continuum, meaning that it is never stagnant. Individuals are the experts of their own bodies, with the right to make autonomous choices. Furthermore, health is a sociopolitical construct shaped by systemic oppression, including white supremacy, ableism, and healthism. As society moves toward collective liberation, we must critically redefine health while ensuring that access to care is never contingent on an individual’s health status or choices.
True health does not come from shame, fear, or restrictive interventions. It comes from creating environments that empower individuals to engage in health-promoting behaviors (if they want to!) without the pressure to conform to arbitrary body standards.
No one owes anyone health.
Misinformation about health, weight, and nutrition is everywhere—on social media, in public policies, and even in healthcare settings. True health advocacy isn’t about pushing restrictive ideals or blaming individuals—it’s about dismantling barriers, ensuring access to inclusive care, and empowering people with accurate, science-backed information. Here’s how you can take action and be part of the change:
Learn about weight-inclusive care and evidence-based health approaches. Share reliable resources that challenge weight-centric narratives.
Whether online or in conversations, challenge harmful rhetoric and provide factual information about health and nutrition.
Seek out and uplift healthcare providers, dietitians, and advocacy groups that promote HAES©-aligned, anti-diet care. Especially those who are BIPOC and a part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Contact lawmakers and support policies that strengthen food assistance programs, improve healthcare access, and reduce weight stigma in medical settings. For our fellow introverts, use the 5 calls app (not sponsored) to generate a script and leave a voicemail after hours.
Help others critically evaluate health claims in the media, recognizing fear-mongering tactics and unscientific narratives.
Donate to food banks, volunteer at organizations addressing food insecurity, and push for local policies that increase access to affordable foods.
The MAHA Commission is not about making America “healthy” but rather about reinforcing harmful weight-centric narratives that serve the diet and wellness industries more than actual public health. If we truly care about health, we must reject fear-mongering tactics and embrace inclusive, compassionate, and evidence-based approaches that support people of all sizes in their well-being.
It’s time to challenge the false promises of movements like MAHA and advocate for real, systemic changes that promote health without harm.
Megan is a weight inclusive registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the founder and director of A Soft Place to Land, a multidisciplinary group practice based in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania that specializes in eating disorders, chronic dieting, and body image care. She is fiercely on a mission to be a loud advocate for ethical care of every BODY. Megan’s goal is to provide a weight inclusive and trauma informed safe space with an emphasis on social justice, fat liberation, self-exploration, and compassion. When she’s not taking down the patriarchy, you can find her spending time with her dogs outside, gardening, and painting plant pots!
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