The “Make America Healthy Again” Initiative: A Trojan Horse for an Anti-Equity Agenda

by Mandy Morgan February 14, 2025

The recent executive order establishing the “Make America Healthy Again Commission” presents itself as a bold effort to address America’s chronic health crisis. With alarming statistics about rising disease rates, declining life expectancy, and the economic burden of poor health, the initiative appears to focus on improving national well-being. However, when examined in the broader context of the current administration’s policies, it becomes clear that this order is not just about public health—it’s also about reshaping the federal approach to equity in ways that could undermine social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions and exacerbate disparities.

A Policy Framed in Data, But Rooted in an Anti-Equity Agenda

At face value, the order acknowledges real health challenges, including skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, and mental health disorders. However, it conspicuously avoids addressing structural and systemic inequities that underlie these issues. Instead, the language used in the order aligns with the administration’s broader efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across federal agencies.

For example, the order calls for transparency in health research and the elimination of conflicts of interest, a seemingly neutral proposal. But given the administration’s previous actions—such as terminating DEI initiatives in federal agencies and barring race-conscious policies—this focus on “objectivity” may serve as a pretext for stripping health policies of any consideration of racial, socioeconomic, or environmental disparities. This is consistent with the administration’s recent executive orders rescinding DEI and environmental justice initiatives, which framed equity as a form of discrimination rather than as a necessary strategy for addressing longstanding inequalities.

Ignoring Social Determinants of Health in Favor of Personal Responsibility

One of the most glaring omissions in the order is any meaningful acknowledgment of the social determinants of health. Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that factors such as income, education, housing, and systemic racism drive disparities in chronic disease outcomes. Yet, rather than addressing these structural drivers, the order focuses on individual lifestyle choices, framing the issue as one of personal responsibility rather than policy failure.

For instance, the order calls for “working with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most affordable in the world.” However, it makes no mention of food deserts, economic barriers to healthy eating, or the impact of corporate food monopolies that disproportionately harm low-income communities. Similarly, while the order highlights increasing rates of childhood chronic disease, it does not propose policies to address poverty, lack of healthcare access, or environmental toxins—factors that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

Of course, that’s kind of the point.

A Dangerous Shift Away from Evidence-Based Public Health

Perhaps most troubling is the order’s push for “gold-standard research on the root causes of why Americans are getting sick.” While this may sound like a commitment to rigorous science, it echoes similar language from anti-vaccine and anti-public health movements that cast doubt on well-established research while amplifying fringe theories. The inclusion of vague references to “electromagnetic radiation” and “corporate influence or cronyism” as potential causes of disease suggests an openness to conspiratorial thinking rather than a commitment to robust, peer-reviewed science.

Moreover, the order’s emphasis on “ending childhood chronic disease” through increased transparency and public engagement raises concerns that it may be used to challenge proven public health interventions. The administration has already expressed skepticism toward vaccine mandates and other population-wide health measures, and this order could provide a framework for undermining evidence-based policies in favor of ideological agendas.

A Step Toward Health—or a Step Backward?

The “Make America Healthy Again” initiative presents itself as a health-focused policy but must be understood in the broader context of the administration’s anti-equity stance. By sidestepping the social determinants of health, emphasizing personal responsibility over systemic change, and casting doubt on existing health research, the order aligns with the administration’s broader efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives and reframe equity as a threat rather than a solution.

If the administration were truly committed to improving health outcomes, it would focus on expanding access to healthcare, addressing economic disparities, and investing in community-driven public health solutions. Instead, this order risks reinforcing structural barriers to health while using the language of reform to justify an agenda that prioritizes ideology over evidence-based policy.

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