Metabolic Revolution Launches Petition to Ban Ultra-Processed Foods from School Meal’s Following DGAC’s Silence
"Our children have a right to grow up at a normal weight and without chronic disease," says Jerold Mande, Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Harvard and former USDA Deputy Under Secretary. “The Dietary Guidelines play a crucial role in shaping school meal standards and nutrition policies. Secretary-nominees Kennedy & Rollins have been selected by President Trump to write the next Dietary Guidelines. Metabolic Revolution’s petition is an important call to action.”
From our friends at Metabolic Revolution*:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2025
Metabolic Revolution Launches Petition to Ban Ultra-Processed Foods from School Meals Following DGAC's Silence
Hopkins, MN — Metabolic Revolution today launched a nationwide petition calling on HHS Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and USDA Secretary-nominee Brooke Rollins to ban ultra-processed foods from school meals. The petition comes in response to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's (DGAC) failure to recommend reducing ultra-processed foods in the 2025-2030 guidelines, despite mounting evidence of their role in chronic disease.
"The DGAC has chosen silence, but the American people will not be silent,” says Jessica Apple, president of Metabolic Revolution. “We will not wait five more years for federal guidelines to acknowledge what we already know - that ultra-processed foods are making our children sick.”
The petition highlights alarming statistics: 37% of girls and 36% of boys aged 5-14 years are overweight or obese, while rates of type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, and ADHD continue to rise among youth.
Dr. Christopher Palmer, Harvard psychiatrist and author of Brain Energy, emphasizes the urgency of the situation:
“The chronic disease epidemic is escalating at an alarming rate across Western societies, with our youth bearing a disproportionate burden. Obesity, diabetes, and mental health disorders are significant challenges at any age, but when these conditions begin in childhood, their impact is compounded, leading to lifelong health complications and disrupted social, emotional, and cognitive development.
One of the most immediate and pragmatic strategies to combat this crisis is to address one of the root causes: the consumption of ultra-processed foods. These foods, packed with artificial additives and industrial ingredients, damage mitochondria, trigger metabolic dysfunction, and fuel the chronic diseases affecting our children.
By banning ultra-processed foods from school meals, we can take a crucial step toward protecting the health of future generations. It’s time to hold institutions accountable and demand action. Our children deserve better, and they need our voice now”
The petition calls for immediate action through three channels
2. Comment on USDA website Comments can be as simple as: 'Ban Ultra Processed Foods from School Meals' Due by February 10, 2025
3. Register to attend the virtual DGAC Public Meeting on January 16, 2025
* Metabolic Revolution is a non-partisan organization demanding a new era in nutrition and healthcare. We advocate for evidence-based approaches to health centered on metabolism that address the root causes of chronic diseases.
