In Indiana and Indian Country, Kennedy Continues Bold Attack on the Nation's Chronic Disease Epidemic

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy continues taking his MAHA message to communities across the country.

On Tuesday, in Indianapolis, Kennedy joined Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Indiana Governor Mike Braun (R-IN), who announced nine new state executive orders as part of a “Make Indiana Healthy Again” initiative.

In the past week, Kennedy also visited Native American communities in New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, where he conferred with leaders on improving health outcomes and nutritional provisions throughout historic Indian Country.

In Indiana, Braun commended Kennedy and Oz for their national leadership, noting that prior administrations were not receptive to state initiatives aimed at establishing high standards in public health. The executive orders include a statewide study into the causes of chronic disease and changes to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the national food program, commonly known as food stamps, that provides assistance to low-income familiesThe Governor also directed state health officials to pursue health initiatives that emphasize the preventive role of diet and exercise in managing chronic conditions.

Indiana public health officials will also launch a study into the harmful effects of dyes and other additives found in ultra-processed foods. Additionally, Indiana joined several other states in banning the subsidizing of junk food purchases through the SNAP program

Emphasizing market-based solutions to public health challenges, another Braun order will reduce regulations on small farms, enabling Hoosiers to more easily purchase healthy foods directly from farmers. Braun also announced an order establishing a statewide school fitness month, which will include intensified physical education in schools.

Speaking after Braun, Kennedy stated that multiple federal agencies and departments will support the state’s new health programs and initiatives.

Also on Tuesday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, where the latter announced that the state will seek a federal waiver to ban junk food purchases through the SNAP program. Kennedy said he and Rollins will continue to collaborate on a range of measures aimed at reducing chronic disease nationwide.

Commenting on Governor Huckabee Sanders’ decision to remove junk foods from SNAP, Rollins said, “Governor Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume. Today’s waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again.”

The American Beverage Association, an industry group that represents Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Keurig Dr Pepper (among others), criticized Huckabee Sanders and Rollins for their decision. Rollins hit back on X, saying, “It’s disappointing that the American Beverage Association's leadership dragged its entire membership—and the patriotic American workers and their families they employ and represent—into direct conflict with this Administration’s priorities for American health, well-being, and taxpayer protection. These priorities—which those same American workers voted to endorse—will prevail.

Kennedy’s support for local solutions to the nation’s health crises extends beyond actions taken by state governments, encompassing community-driven and private-sector health initiatives.

Improving Native American health

According to data from the Indian Health Service (IHS), chronic disease rates are significantly higher among American Indian and Alaska Native people compared to the general population.

Speaking at the Tribal Self-Governance Conference, held at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, Kennedy said that HHS is committed to improving the health outcomes of Native Americans through both direct assistance and aid to local programs encouraging the cultivation of locally sourced organic and healthy foods.

In Window Rock, Arizona, the capital and administrative center of Navajo Nation, he met and went on a hike with Navajo President Buu Nygren.

Kennedy remarked that his father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, had strong ties to Native American communities among whom he campaigned during his 1968 presidential campaign that ultimately ended in his tragic assassination. The HHS Secretary said that his father’s commitment to improving the living standards throughout Indian Country remains a key personal priority that will be executed through actions taken by his Department.

During his three-state tour, Kennedy visited the Native Health clinic in Phoenix, a facility providing a wide range of health care services to Native Americans. There, he spoke with Dr. Shad Marvasti, a Stanford-educated physician who is helping to combat the chronic disease epidemic among Native Americans through the provision of natural, unprocessed foods, as well as community efforts to promote better nutritional education.

Kennedy said he intends to reform health guidelines at the IHS to promote preventative and cost-effective measures, including healthy eating and regular exercise.

As first reported by Native News Online, Kennedy said of his tour, “At every stop on this tour, I witnessed the impact of bold leadership — from state lawmakers to Indigenous leaders standing up for the health of their communities and the future of their children.”

‍