Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement continues to win over long-time establishment entities, signaling a shifting paradigm in the health and wellness of America’s future.
In a breakthrough move, over 19 major medical schools signed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s “Nutrition Education Pledge.”
The pledge aims to incorporate 40 hours of nutrition education into graduation requirements effective this fall, according to an HHS press release.
Medical students previously received only 1.2 hours of nutrition education on average, according to the release.
Now, MAHA is going to be part of the medical school curriculum for some of America’s top doctors.
“Poor diets are the primary driver of America’s chronic disease epidemic, and today’s announcement reflects the shifting landscape toward placing nutrition and prevention at the core of patient health,” HHS Secretary RFK Jr. stated in the press release.
“Still, more work remains, and I look forward to seeing nutrition play an increased role as the latest science, data, and best practices develop.”
MAHA WIN: 19 additional medical schools have signed the Trump administration’s nutrition education pledge.@SecKennedy: “With these commitments, 73 medical schools across the country have now joined the pledge.” pic.twitter.com/UPow5v8S1v
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) June 8, 2026
The new, MAHA-focused 40-hour standard requires medical students to achieve competencies in 71 areas, including but not limited to: “Nutritional differences” between “minimally processed vs highly processed foods,” “Work[ing] with other health professionals for multidisciplinary nutrition care,” and “Responsible use of AI for nutrition advice.”
Some prominent names among the 19 new signees include the University of Massachusetts, University of Maryland, and Texas A&M University already on top of 54 additional schools that signed on earlier this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a whopping 90% of the nation’s $5.3 trillion in healthcare spending goes toward fighting chronic and mental health conditions, while another study estimates that approximately 1 million Americans die from food-related chronic conditions per year.
“The recent commitment by medical schools and the nation’s leading medical education, accreditation, certification, and licensing organizations to strengthen nutrition education marks a significant step toward addressing the chronic disease crisis,” an HHS spokesperson told The Daily Caller in response to the latest breakthrough.
“With more than 40% of federal health care spending tied to largely preventable, diet-related conditions and more than 70% of U.S. adults overweight or obese, these institutions are recognizing the need for stronger prevention-focused training.
“Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, this effort reflects growing support for equipping future physicians with the knowledge and tools to prevent, manage, and treat chronic disease through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle interventions.”