Independent Expert Review Finds MAHA Report Scientifically Unsound, Dangerously Misleading

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE) today released the first independent scientific review of the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment (MAHA Report). Conducted by Dr. Mark Kern, PhD, RD, of San Diego State University, the review finds the report to be deeply misleading due to misinformed commentary, biased literature selection, and reliance on non-peer-reviewed content. These serious flaws call into question the report's credibility and its use as a basis for public health and regulatory decisions.

Dr. Kern's analysis marks the first formal scientific review of the MAHA Report's sources and underlying claims. It directly addresses concerns raised by public health experts, academic institutions, and food system stakeholders regarding the document's accuracy and scientific integrity.

"American families deserve reliable information," said Matthew Kandrach, President of CASE. "This report spreads misinformation that undermines public trust, weakens scientific standards, and misleads the very people it claims to help. We're committed to protecting consumers by setting the record straight - with facts, not fear."

Originally billed as an "evidence-based foundation for policy interventions, institutional reforms, and societal shifts," the MAHA Report has become the centerpiece of a sweeping new policy effort - including a proposed rewrite of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the rollout of new federal strategy. Yet as Dr. Kern's review makes clear, the report fails to meet even basic scientific standards.

"These issues - coupled with the much-reported failings of inadequate sourcing and 'phantom citations' - point to likely the report's greatest failing: The MAHA Report is not based on sound scientific data - often relying on biased 'narrative reviews' - and, thereby, falls woefully short of President Trump's Executive Order to restore Gold Standard Science to the federal government," said Dr. Mark Kern, whose 30-year career spans peer-reviewed nutrition science, exercise physiology, and clinical research.

"Considering the serious potential consequences to the U.S. economy, consumer choice, and food prices, policymakers should not use the scientifically feeble MAHA Report as a basis for regulation," Dr. Kern added.

The stakes extend far beyond nutrition guidance. While framed as a child health initiative, the MAHA Report's recommendations - if enacted - could reshape the broader U.S. food system. That includes impacts on food access, agricultural policy, and more than 19 million jobs nationwide, many in rural communities.

"Science is not storytelling," Kandrach said. "Nutrition policy should be based on reproducible evidence, not cherry-picked claims or biased narrative reviews. This analysis is a call to return to evidence-based policymaking - where facts, not narratives, guide decisions that affect millions."

Dr. Kern's full scientific evaluation, including a breakdown of each issue area and response to stakeholder concerns, is available at www.caseforconsumers.org/maha.

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SOURCE Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE)