Moms who might have once been mocked as “crunchy” are now shaping a new, individual-focused version of environmentalism that targets food additives and toxins, but with a twist: Many are conservative, skeptical of vaccines, and aligned with Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
Shannon Osaka reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- A growing group of conservative-leaning women, dubbed MAHA moms, is reshaping environmentalism by focusing on toxins in food and homes rather than community-level environmental impacts like air pollution, and while rejecting mainstream science on vaccines and climate change.
- Their efforts have pushed concerns about ultra-processed foods and food dyes into political conversations, especially through social media influence and alignment with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump.
- While some of their critiques align with nutrition science, experts caution that the movement’s selective focus on ingredients like seed oils and dyes may distract from broader dietary risks like sugar and processed foods.
Key quote:
“People are right to worry that the government is putting industry science ahead of real science, but we do not share their optimism that the Trump administration will deliver.”
— Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group
Why this matters:
“Make America Healthy Again,” is tapping into growing bipartisan concern over the U.S. food supply’s health risks. These aren’t your traditional environmental warriors. They’re mothers — largely white, suburban, and politically conservative — who are questioning the safety of vaccines, the wisdom of the Food and Drug Administration, and the integrity of Big Food. But without science-based policy, it risks becoming just another passing wellness fad.
Read more:
- The FDA needs to start protecting us from obesity-promoting food chemicals
- Kennedy pushes food industry to eliminate artificial dyes from U.S. products
- RFK Jr. workforce cuts wipe out federal tracking of key health data
- Trump officials now reviewing NIH research funding, raising alarm over political interference
- Opinion: RFK Jr.’s disinformation is a rallying cry for women in STEM
