The Kids’ Health Crisis

This week, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) led a roundtable discussion titled,“American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion,”featuring a panel of experts on Capitol Hill to highlight one of the most urgent issues facing America: our kids' health crisis. 

Following discussions that covered the changing landscape of healthcare, agriculture, and food processing over the last century, leading to the current state of national health, it is clear that we must take responsibility as private corporations to lead the way in bringing solutions to market.

At  Begin Health, we believe that improving kids’ health is the foundation of a better future, and a better America. This starts with an uncompromised commitment to food quality, choices, and standards that we set and expect for kids starting today. 

We are committed to our enduring mission to empower parents with the knowledge, tools, and nutrition-based interventions that optimize kids' health and well-being to realize our vision that every kid be born with a thriving and resilient gut microbiome and maintain it for life-long health. 

Our Kids Face Devastating Health Issues

Nearly 40% of children and teens are overweight or struggling with obesity — a rate that has tripled over the past three decades. ADHD now affects about 7 million kids (that’s 1 out of every 9 kids) and digestive issues, including chronic constipation, impacts up to 30% of kids. Even more troubling, conditions that were once rare in childhood, like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, are becoming increasingly common. While the decline of health in this generation is multifactorial, we know that poor nutrition and the quality of food are major factors contributing to this decline in health.

The Standard American Diet is Failing Our Kids

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is characterized by an excess of empty calories, saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and excess sodium. Overconsumption of prolonged unhealthy diets have fueled soaring rates of chronic diseases among kids.

Ultra-processed foods containing additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients, make up nearly 67% of our kids' diets. Not only are the kids overconsuming the “bad stuff,” they equally aren’t getting enough of the “good stuff,” as these foods lack the essential nutrients we know kids need to grow and thrive.

Is anyone then surprised our kids can’t poop?

95% of kids don’t get enough daily fiber, which we know is essential to developing and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. This deficiency disrupts the gut's environment, leading to digestive issues and creates debilitating impacts on immune function, mental health, and overall well-being. Our first response can’t be to run to band-aid solutions like laxatives, but instead we must work harder to solve problems at their root. 

Deceptive Advertising and Marketing to Kids 

Kids are consuming an average of 19 teaspoons of added sugar daily, far exceeding the recommended limit of no more than 6 teaspoons per day for those ages 2 to 18 years. The food and beverage industry specifically targets children using marketing strategies that promote these unhealthy options, making it even more challenging for families to make better choices. Companies spend more to market sugary drinks to children and teens than any other food category, and exposure to sugary drink ads is associated with higher overall sugary drink consumption among kids. 

The recent release of  "The Kelce Mix" from General Mills is a prime example of this. This is a kids’ cereal promoted by NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce that contains5 different forms of added sugars.While endorsements by high-achieving athletes make these products more appealing to young audiences, they also contribute to the excessive sugar intake that poses health risks for our kids.

As Calley Means pointed out during the roundtable, many of these products contain additives and artificial ingredients that are banned in other countries but are still sold in the U.S. For instance, certain food dyes and preservatives linked to health issues are prohibited overseas, yet they remain prevalent in American children's diets. Regardless if it makes the product more marketable to kids, or more cost effective to make, safer options are sold overseas to kids, revealing the need for regulatory changes in our own country.

This is No Accident – This is Intentional.

The modern Western diet is now structured to strip out key gut nutrients like fiber and replace them with sugar and chemicals that fundamentally disrupt our kids' metabolism and gut health. Food companies know they’re making our kids sick. Yet they spend billions marketing addictive, toxic food, with full support from a government system that enables it. 

In 2020, the food and beverage industry spent over $38 million on lobbying activities in the U.S., with Coca-Cola being one of the biggest spenders. This substantial investment ensures that regulations remain favorable to them, allowing the continued production and marketing of unhealthy food products — with full support from a government system that enables it.

The Alarming State of Baby Food

Recent reports reveal that nearly 60% of baby foods and nutrition products do not meet the nutrition standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Key findings indicate:

• Only 30% of products met the WHO's protein recommendations
• 44% of the baby food products exceeded the maximum recommended sugar levels 
• 25% of products failed to meet calorie requirements – providing either inadequate or excessive calories
• Approximately 20% of tested products exceeded recommended sodium limits

In 2021, a congressional report highlighted that many popular baby foods contain concerning levels of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium. These toxins pose serious long-term health risks to infants, affecting brain development and potentially leading to cognitive and behavioral problems later in life. Without reform at the regulatory level, the baby food industry risks compromising the health of future generations.

Public Policy: A Call to Action

Our children’s health is the future of America’s health and is not a partisan issue. Today, we arecalling for the immediate following bipartisan public health actions:

• Remove Sugar-Sweetened Foods from Government Assistance Programs: We advocate for the exclusion of sugar-sweetened foods, such as soda and candy, from government-funded nutrition assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). This policy change would help reduce sugar consumption among marginalized communities and their families while promoting healthier beverage choices.

• Ban Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising on Television: The United States and New Zealand are the only two countries that allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. Banning these ads can reduce the over-medicalization of health issues that can often be addressed with lifestyle and dietary changes.

• Eliminate Harmful Food Additives and Artificial Ingredients: Many additives and artificial ingredients used in the U.S. are banned in other countries due to their health risks. We support legislation that prohibits the use of these harmful substances in our food supply, especially in products marketed to children.

• Reduce Added Sugars in Children's Foods: We advocate for stricter regulations on the amount of added sugars allowed in foods and beverages marketed to children. This includes setting maximum limits and requiring clearer labeling to help parents make informed choices.

• Increase Funding for Nutrition Education: We support increased funding for nutrition education programs in schools and communities to empower families with the knowledge to make healthier food choices.

• Promote Transparency in Food Marketing: Companies should be required to disclose marketing strategies targeting children and the nutritional content of their products, promoting accountability and encouraging healthier options.

We urge policymakers on both sides of the aisle to take immediate action on these issues. The health of our children requires a united effort.

The Degradation of Kids’ Health is a National Security Crisis

With fewer than 14% of medical schools offering required nutrition courses, many doctors focus on treating symptoms rather than addressing root causes like poor nutrition and declining gut health. We're already bearing the costs of this health crisis through increased healthcare expenses and the emotional toll on families. The most significant cost, however, is the long-term damage to our children. 

The degradation of kids’ health is a national security crisis. Without immediate action, we risk creating a generation that may live shorter, weaker, and sicker lives, while making us uncompetitive on the world stage.

Begin Health's Commitment to a Healthier Future

At Begin Health, we believe that improving children's health starts with a bold and unwavering commitment to better food quality, standards and choices. We're committed to be a driving force in the solution by leading the way through building evidence-based nutrition solutions that support kids’ health and well-being from the very beginning.

We know that healthy kids set the stage for a thriving future, and that starts with the standards we set today. We applaud our lawmakers for responding to the urgent calls for action and working across industries and aisles to bring profound change. 

The future health of our children and our nation depend on the actions we take today.We're building a brighter future for the next generation—please join us! 

Madeline Lauf
Founder, Begin Health