Well being and Human Providers (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on a mission to make America wholesome once more, and he’s tackling the nation’s most overweight state — and its governor.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, R, and Kennedy held a joint occasion on Friday to announce a ban on sure meals dyes. The governor additionally took the chance to announce that his state has submitted a waiver that will prohibit Supplemental Diet Help Program (SNAP) contributors from utilizing the advantages to buy soda.
Morrisey celebrated the transfer, saying his state was “placing ‘diet’ again into the Supplemental Diet Help Program.”
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“I urge each governor to observe West Virginia’s lead and submit a waiver to the USDA to take away soda from SNAP. If there’s one factor we are able to agree on, it needs to be eliminating taxpayer-funded soda subsidies for lower-income youngsters,” Kennedy stated in a statement forward of the occasion.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, left, holds a letter of intent to request modifications to the state’s SNAP and meals dye laws subsequent to Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proper, on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Martinsburg, W. Va. (AP Picture/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Kennedy, nonetheless, isn’t simply seeking to make the state’s residents healthier, he’s making an attempt to shrink Morrisey’s waistline as nicely.
He recalled attending to know the governor through the transition interval because the Trump administration ready for the president’s return to the White Home. In line with Kennedy, he didn’t sugarcoat his ideas on Morrisey’s weight.
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“The primary time I noticed him, I stated, ‘You seem like you ate Governor Morrisey,’” Kennedy stated throughout his joint look with the West Virginia governor. “I’m going to place him on a extremely rigorous routine, and we’re gonna put him on a carnivore diet.”
Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, speaks throughout an occasion asserting proposed modifications to SNAP and meals dye laws with West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, proper, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Martinsburg, W. Va. (AP Picture/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Moreover, Kennedy recommended that the governor do a public weigh-in each month and inspired these within the viewers who needed Morrisey to take part to boost their arms.
The HHS chief additionally vowed to return to West Virginia when Morrisey loses 30lbs to do a celebration and a public weigh-in.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey speaks throughout an occasion asserting proposed modifications to SNAP and meals dye laws, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Martinsburg, W. Va. (AP Picture/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Morrisey’s insurance policies may make an enormous change for West Virginia, which at present has a higher rate of obesity than every other state.
In line with the Middle for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), as of 2023, West Virginia was one among solely three states to have an weight problems prevalence of 40% or higher.
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Arkansas’ weight problems prevalence was 40%, Mississippi’s was 40.1%, whereas West Virginia’s was 41.2%.
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As of 2022, the World Obesity Foundation ranked the U.S. because the nineteenth most overweight nation on the planet with 43.29% of adults being overweight. In the meantime, American Samoa was ranked primary with over 75% of adults affected by weight problems.