PBS News Hour - Full Show MAHA has a plan to clean up the American diet. Will it work?
Jan 17, 2026
In this enlightening discussion, Marion Nestle, a renowned food policy expert, and Ashley Gearhardt, who studies food addiction, team up with Cindy Leung, a public health nutrition researcher. They tackle America's food crisis, revealing the impact of ultra-processed foods on obesity and heart disease. Topics include the food industry's manipulative marketing tactics, barriers low-income families face to healthy eating, and innovative policy changes like SNAP restrictions. The panel examines a new health initiative by Health Secretary RFK Jr. and suggests real solutions for a healthier America.
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How Policy And Profit Shaped Our Food Supply
- Deregulation and shareholder pressure created a food system that prioritized sales over nutrition.
- Companies made food cheap, abundant, and everywhere to drive constant consumption.
Food Industry Borrowed Tobacco Playbooks
- Tobacco companies and techniques migrated into processed foods, using flavor additives and marketing to boost demand.
- These products act on brain reward systems more like addictive substances than whole foods.
Knowledge Alone Doesn't Solve Food Access
- Low-income households generally know what's healthy but face budget, time, and access constraints.
- Convenience, cost, and caregiving responsibilities often push families toward ultra-processed items.
