The US Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr ("RFK"), released on Thursday, May 22, the first report from his commission on chronic diseases affecting children – one of the rare issues of concern that Americans share across political divides. "Never in American history has the federal government taken a position on public health like this," the secretary said proudly.

The release of the report was marked by a ceremony at the White House, attended by Donald Trump, several members of his cabinet and a group of mothers who identify with what political scientists say has become a new political force. The "MAHA movement," for "Make America Healthy Again," is a variation on the slogan used by the US president, "Make America Great Again."

The creation of the "MAHA commission" followed an executive order signed by Trump on February 13 to tackle what "RFK Jr" has called the "chronic disease crisis" in children – that is, the rise of a range of illnesses and developmental disorders, including childhood obesity, diabetes, attention disorders, allergies, autoimmune diseases and autism. "Think of this one, this is the one that gets me every time, and it seems to be getting worse − just a few decades ago, one in 10,000 children had autism. Today it's one in 31," said Trump.

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