Health
FDA's Califf says the agency is taking action on ultra-processed food
Ultra-processed foods like chicken nuggets and cookie bars are a huge point of contention in health policy, as well as a target in RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
While officials drafting U.S. dietary guidelines for 2025-2030 recently decided to hold off on making guidelines for ultra-processed foods, the FDA isn't waiting to act on them, according to a STAT First Opinion by the agency chief Robert Califf and other food and disease officials. They're already working to lower sodium levels in food. "In the near future, we expect to finalize an updated definition for the 'healthy' claim and we continue to work to propose front-of-package nutrition labeling," they write.
Read more, including about the officials' interest in better research on ultraprocessed food, here.
Science
Scientists in public policy? Survey says: Maybe not
Americans' trust in scientists is rising again, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of over 9,500 U.S. adults — but with some important caveats. Many don't want scientists to be involved in public policy, and even fewer people view scientists as good communicators.
Seventy-six percent of Americans expressed confidence in scientists to act in the best interests of the public. That's up from 73% last year, but still well below pre-pandemic levels.
The survey revealed mixed attitudes about whether Americans think scientists should be engaged in public policy debates on scientific issues, with 51% saying scientists should take an active role, versus 48% saying that scientists should focus on establishing facts instead of participating in public policy.
Perception of scientists' social skills is not great either: Fewer than half of the respondents (45%) said that scientists are good communicators. About half of Americans view scientists as "socially awkward" and 47% have the impression scientists "feel superior to others." On the bright side, 89% see scientists as intelligent.
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