Health

Fact-Checking RFK Jr.’s Health Claims on Obesity, Medicaid and Fluoride

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2025

Fact-Checking RFK Jr.’s Health Claims on Obesity, Medicaid and Fluoride

During the hearing to consider his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at length about issues in health and medicine, including the cause of chronic illnesses, Covid-19 and ultraprocessed foods.

Here is a running list of key health claims, fact-checked by our reporters.

Chronic Disease

Mr. Kennedy’s opening statement focused on rising chronic health conditions, saying there was a crisis in children’s health in the United States. Many experts agree — though they disagree about the causes.

Forty percent of children have a chronic health condition, and the figure is higher for adolescents when obesity is included.

Roughly one in 36 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in four has an allergy or eczema, and rates of Type 2 diabetes have been rising in those 19 and under every year.

And while Type 2 diabetes rates are rising, they are still low: According to the American Diabetes Association, it occurs in 0.35 percent of Americans under the age of 20.

Who Covid-19 Affects

Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado pressed Mr. Kennedy on a statement Mr. Kennedy made in 2023 in which he suggested that the coronavirus targeted and spared certain ethnic groups.

“Covid-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people,” he said in a video from The New York Post. “The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”

In response to Mr. Bennet, Mr. Kennedy referred to a federally funded study from the Cleveland Clinic published early in the pandemic that tried to decipher who was most susceptible to the virus.

Scientists have said that Mr. Kennedy’s interpretation of the study widely distorted the findings in the paper. While it found genetic differences that might make one individual more susceptible to Covid than another, the differences were too rare to make any generalizations about large groups of people.

Children’s Risk From Covid

During the hearing, Mr. Kennedy also asserted that 6-year-old children “basically” have “zero” risk from Covid.

The C.D.C. has noted that children with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk from severe outcomes from Covid, as well as infants younger than six months of age.

Ultraprocessed Foods and Obesity

Early in the hearing, Mr. Kennedy singled out processed food as a driver of the obesity epidemic.

“We shouldn’t be giving 60 percent of the kids in school processed food that is making them sick,” he said.

Many public health and nutrition experts say that ultraprocessed foods — which make up an estimated 73 percent of the U.S. food supply — are probably a factor in the obesity crisis in the United States, and it would be beneficial to cut back on them.

But other researchers say that the obesity epidemic is likely a result of many entangled factors, both environmental and genetic, and that the phenomenon may have started long before there were ultraprocessed foods.

The category is also wide-ranging, and it’s not clear if all ultraprocessed foods are harmful, experts say. There may be downsides to avoiding some ultraprocessed foods, like flavored yogurts and whole wheat breads and cereals, they add, because they can provide valuable nutrients.

Lindsey Smith Taillie, an associate professor of nutrition at the U.N.C. Gillings School of Global Public Health, said that it would be “transformative” to remove ultraprocessed foods from school lunches. But, she added, schools would need more resources to prepare meals from scratch.

Medicare and Medicaid

Throughout the hearing, Mr. Kennedy struggled with the nuances of Medicaid and Medicare.

He suggested “more people would rather be on Medicare Advantage” but can’t afford it because it’s more expensive. In fact, Medicare Advantage is generally less expensive on a monthly basis for beneficiaries.

He also described Medicaid as being fully federally funded. Spending is actually split between the states and the federal government. He went on to describe the premiums and deductibles as being too high when, except in very rare cases, Medicaid enrollees do not pay either of those types of fees.

Fluoride in Water

Mr. Kennedy referenced a recent study that found an association between fluoride and I.Q. — research that he felt vindicated his earlier concerns about the dangers of fluoridated drinking water.

While the description of the study’s findings was accurate, there are notable caveats.

The study, by scientists from the federally funded National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was an analysis of dozens of fluoride studies, which found higher fluoride exposures were linked to lower I.Q. scores.

However, researchers cautioned that none of the studies included in the analysis were conducted in the United States, where recommended fluoridation levels in drinking water are very low. At those amounts of fluoride, evidence was too limited to draw definitive conclusions.

The C.D.C. has noted that its experts “have not found convincing scientific evidence” linking community water fluoridation with adverse health effects.

Click to comment

Health

Giant golden spiders could spread this summer; experts downplay health risk

Published

7 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Giant golden spiders could spread this summer; experts downplay health risk

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Large, palm-sized spiders are spinning massive golden webs across porches and power lines, and, according to experts, they’re here to stay.

The Joro spider, which has a leg span up to 4 inches and markings of neon yellow, blue-black and red, was first recorded in Georgia in 2013.

Since its arrival — likely as a hitchhiker on a shipping container or an airplane from Asia, experts say — the arachnid has been steadily marching north.

DOZENS SICKENED AS POTENTIALLY DEADLY FUNGUS SPREADS IN SOUTHERN STATE

The spiders have so far been spotted in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

They are expected to spread throughout eastern North America, at least as far north as Pennsylvania and possibly further in warmer, coastal areas, according to Penn State.

Joro spiders can “fly” by shooting out silk parachutes that carry them on the wind. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

To travel, the spider uses a technique called “ballooning,” in which hatchlings release fine silk threads that catch air currents and carry them over long distances.

Ian Williams, an entomologist with Orkin, said he counted 200 adult spiders by September of last year on his one-acre property near Atlanta.

POPULAR HONEYMOON DESTINATION FACES AVIAN MALARIA THREAT, SPREAD BY MOSQUITOES

“They’re quite intimidating looking spiders, and they make very large webs,” he told Fox News Digital. “The webbing itself, if it catches the sunlight, has a golden hue to it. And it’s very strong.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Despite the arachnid’s striking appearance, experts agree that people shouldn’t panic. Research shows the Joro is among the “shyest” spiders ever documented. When disturbed, they often sits motionless for over an hour rather than attacking.

Joro spiders like to spin their webs up high near houses, trees and even power lines, an expert said. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

“While they’re large spiders, they don’t have large fangs. And, so, it’s difficult for them to bite humans,” Williams noted.

Even in the rare event of a nip, the expert said the venom is weak, comparable to a localized bee sting, and carries “no medical importance.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

As an invasive species, the Joro’s impact is still being weighed by scientists.

“One of the big concerns is that they potentially out-compete native species of spiders,” Williams said.

Physical removal is more efficient than pesticides, according to an expert. (iStock)

A prolific hunter, the Joro spider catches everything from mosquitoes to large, meaty insects like cicadas. It is unclear whether it steals food from native garden spiders.

To prevent Joro spiders from nesting on your porch or property, experts recommend using a broom or long pole to knock the web down.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Spiders may get the message, ‘Hey, I’m not going to keep remaking my same web in the same area,’” Williams said.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Physical removal is more effective than pesticides, which often miss the spiders in their high, open-air webs.

For those who spot a Joro spider in a new area, experts suggest logging the sighting on apps like iNaturalist to help researchers track their northern migration.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.

Health

Another state bans ‘gas station heroin’ as officials warn of deadly risks

Published

19 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Another state bans ‘gas station heroin’ as officials warn of deadly risks

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Conversation-starters

→ March Madness sparks surprising surge in men’s sexual procedure

→ Cannabis benefits called into question in major study

→ ‘Call a Boomer’ payphones help cure loneliness across generations

Along a bustling sidewalk in Boston, a bright yellow payphone invites folks to “Call a Boomer.” (Matter Neuroscience)

Food for thought

→ Eating meat tied to lower dementia risk, study suggests

→ Stomach issues might have nothing to do with eating habits

→ Why your sugar cravings won’t go away, even after cutting sweets

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

This article was written by Fox News staff.

Health

Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Simple measurements taken during routine blood pressure checks could predict dementia risk years before symptoms appear.

That’s according to new research presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Louisiana.

The findings draw on two studies led by researchers at Georgetown University, which suggest that monitoring how blood vessels age and stiffen over time can provide a window into future cognitive health.

LURKING DEMENTIA RISK EXPOSED BY BREAKTHROUGH TEST 25 YEARS BEFORE SYMPTOMS

Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age, and half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (hypertension).

Scientists believe that efforts to better address hypertension, a key contributor to heart disease and a risk factor for dementia, could affect both cardiac and brain health.

Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age. Meanwhile, half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. (iStock)

“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health,” Dr. Newton Nyirenda, the study’s lead author and an epidemiologist at Georgetown University in Washington, said in a press release.

The research focused on two metrics, the pulse pressure-heart rate index and estimated pulse wave velocity. Both were calculated using data collected during standard doctor visits, such as heart rate, age and blood pressure.

“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health.”

Researchers examined five years of data patterns for more than 8,500 people in the SPRINT trial, a large study of adults 50 years and older with hypertension. In the follow-up, 323 of the participants developed probable dementia.

HIDDEN BRAIN CONDITION MAY QUADRUPLE DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS, STUDY SUGGESTS

In one study, the team found the pulse pressure-heart rate index was a strong independent predictor of dementia risk in adults over 50. For participants under 65, every one-unit increase was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia.

For participants under 65, an increase in the pulse pressure-heart rate index was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia. (iStock)

The second study found that adults with consistently elevated or rapidly increasing pulse wave velocity were more likely to develop dementia than those with stable velocity, even after accounting for factors like smoking, gender and cardiovascular history.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

“Our findings suggest that vascular aging patterns may provide meaningful insight into future dementia risk,” said Nyirenda. “This reinforces the idea that managing vascular health earlier in life may influence long-term brain health.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The team emphasized that clinicians should tailor risk assessments and treatment strategies to the individual.

Further studies are needed to confirm these parameters and determine whether changing vascular aging trajectories reduces dementia risk. (iStock)

“You don’t want to wait until a patient starts manifesting cognitive decline before you act,” said senior study author Sula Mazimba, an associate professor at the University of Virginia.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Researchers noted the study could not establish causation. Other limitations included the fact that participants already had hypertension and elevated cardiovascular risk, meaning the findings may not apply to people without those conditions.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether improving blood vessel health over time could reduce dementia risk.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.