Doctor-Led Nonprofit Tells MAHA Meat And Dairy Are Behind Rising NCD Rates In US

The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a doctor-led nonprofit, has said that processed animal products are key contributors to the ongoing “epidemic” of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the US.

PCRM published a statement in advance of an upcoming “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment” by the MAHA Commission, and called for specific acknowledgement of meat and dairy as key drivers of disease.

While the previous MAHA report highlighted “poor diet” as a factor in rising chronic disease rates, it did not explicitly tackle animal products, even when calling for the limitation of ultra-processed foods. PCRM said its more than 17,000 medical doctor members agreed that poor diet is a factor in rising NCD rates, but added that the leading health risks for Americans are meat and dairy products, specifically.

“Bacon and eggs, cheeseburgers, pepperoni pizza, and other animal products loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol are driving America’s epidemics of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes,” said said Dr Neal Barnard, president of PCRM.

The MAHA Commission was established by President Donald Trump via an executive order in February. It is chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Junior, widely known as RFK Jr, the divisive Secretary of Health and Human Services, who recently implied bacon isn’t processed on an episode of Paul Saladino’s podcast.

MAHA, meat and dairy, and processed foods

Photo shows a selection of plant-based meat products in a supermarket refrigerator — Adobe Stock Even when processed, plant-based meat is thought to support a healthy diet

Research published in Nature Food found that existing food labelling does not reflect the potential of plant-based proteins and some “processed” foods to support health. Meanwhile, a previous PCRM survey found that more than one-third of Americans were unable to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy processed foods.

“‘Ultra-processed’ is an invented term with little meaning and even less practical value,” said Barnard. “Science shows that so-called ‘ultra-processed’ foods differ greatly: Certain ones are associated with health problems while others are associated with reduced risk.”

To demonstrate the disparity between processed meat and alternative proteins, PCRM highlighted a 2023 Harvard University study linking animal products with a 44 percent increased risk of diabetes. In contrast, the study found that so-called ultra-processed cereals were associated with a 22 percent reduced risk of diabetes.