2: What “Make America Healthy Again” Means for Kids and Families

A movement called “Make America Healthy Again” is gaining attention, but what does it mean for children’s health, and who gets to decide? As rising rates of chronic illness and new debates challenge long-held assumptions about what keeps children healthy, this episode examines what this moment means for families trying to make sense of it all. Host Heidi Russell, director of the Center for Health Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute, sits down with Elena M. Marks, senior fellow in health policy, to unpack the promises, questions, and real-world challenges behind the MAHA movement. This conversation was recorded on Jan. 20, 2026. Mentioned in this episode: The MAHA Report Baker Institute Center for Health Policy Learn about the “Child Health Advocacy + Policy” podcast by subscribing to our “Health Beat” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter.   You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.