The MAHA Commission's new report, "Make Our Children Healthy Again," has landed with a thud. While the MAHA group says it is about helping kids live healthier lives, experts say it misses the mark in major ways. It brings up a lot of fringe topics, skips over real dangers, and ignores its own administration’s actions.

Health leaders, scientists, and researchers aren’t holding back. They say the MAHA report focuses on pet peeves instead of real problems hurting kids in America today.

Skips Over the Biggest Threat of Gun Violence

Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. Yet, the MAHA report doesn't mention it once. Not a word.

That silence speaks volumes. Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard says ignoring gun deaths makes it impossible to talk about child health seriously. Kids are not just getting sick. They are getting shot. Leaving this out is careless and dangerous.

Vanessa / Pexels / Poverty and racism shape every part of a child's health, from what they eat to the care they get. But the MAHA report acts like these problems don’t exist.

Public health experts say this is a major red flag. Poor kids face more asthma, diabetes, and mental health issues. Racism affects how care is given and received. Leaving out these root causes means pretending the system isn’t broken. It is, and kids are paying the price.

MAHA Ignores Tobacco, the Real Killer

Tobacco is still the top preventable killer in the U.S., including young people, especially those who start smoking or vaping early. Still, the MAHA report says nothing about tobacco.

That is a big miss. Health advocates say if you care about children’s health, you don’t stay quiet on something this deadly. Not mentioning it makes the whole report look unserious.

Instead of focusing on real health risks, the MAHA report puts a spotlight on "vaccine injuries" and "medical freedom." These phrases may sound important, but experts warn they fuel vaccine fear, not facts.

Secretary Kennedy’s past vaccine views are well known. Under his lead, even the CDC advisory panels were reworked to include anti-vaccine voices. That has left many experts worried that science is taking a backseat to personal opinions.

Obsession With Fluoride and Food Dyes

The MAHA report also calls for removing fluoride from water and artificial dyes from food. But dentists say fluoride helps fight cavities. Public health experts say these are distractions from bigger food problems.

They argue that sugar-loaded drinks and lead in water are far bigger threats. But those don’t get attention. Instead, the MAHA report chases topics that sound scary, even if they are low risk.

Alex / Pexels / When it comes to food, the MAHA report talks about ultra-processed products, but does nothing to fix the problem.

There is no plan to tax soda, no push to stop junk food ads targeting kids, just vague talk.

Marion Nestle, a top food policy expert, says the report counts too much on companies to "do the right thing." That is wishful thinking. Real change needs real rules, not polite requests.

Early drafts of the MAHA report raised alarms about pesticides. But the final version backtracks, calling current standards “robust.”

MAHA vs. The Administration’s Own Policies

This part stuns experts the most. The same administration backing this report has made massive cuts to programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and research funding. These cuts hurt the very kids the report claims to help.

You can’t claim to care about children’s health while slashing food stamps, shrinking health coverage, and cutting science budgets.