Senator Marshall Op-Ed: Why America is Getting Healthy Again One Year Later

Topeka - On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), published an op-ed in the Topeka Capital-Journal, writing that President Trump's first year in office has brought a lot of change for the health of Americans. While American tax dollars have gone towards treating chronic disease for years, the Trump administration has focused on disease prevention through nutrition, leading to a healthier America.

Read the full op-ed HERE or below:

Why America is getting healthy again one year later

Senator Roger Marshall

Topeka Capital-Journal

January 20^th, 2026

My grandmother used to say, "If you have your health, you have everything."

After more than 25 years of practicing medicine, I know just how far we've drifted from that basic truth.

America, for decades, has been sick - roughly 70% of Americans are living with at least one chronic disease. Childhood diabetes, obesity, depression and anxiety are rising at alarming rates. Diet-driven illness is now one of the leading reasons young Americans are disqualified from military service.

Nearly 90% of our health care spending goes toward treating chronic disease - much of it preventable. That's not sustainable for families, for taxpayers, or for the future of our country.

One year ago, President Trump returned to office and made it clear that ignoring these realities was no longer acceptable. While much attention has been paid to the economy and border security, one of the most important shifts of the past year has been the administration's decision to confront America's health crisis directly.

As a physician, I've treated patients one by one. As a senator, I see a system that for decades focused on managing sickness instead of promoting health. Washington built a healthcare model dominated by bureaucracy and special interests, where prevention, nutrition, and the patient-doctor relationship were pushed aside.

President Trump's Make America Healthy Again agenda has changed that, and the guiding idea is straightforward: We cannot medicate our way out of a chronic disease epidemic. Prevention must come first.

A central focus of this administration's first year has been improving transparency and accountability in our food systems. Parents across Kansas have been rightly asking for years: Why are American shelves filled with additives, dyes and ingredients that are knowingly harmful to my children and restricted in other countries?

Just recently, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins released updated dietary guidelines for Americans, marking the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades. The new guidelines deliver a clear, common-sense message to the American people: Eat real food.

The impact is already being felt throughout the food industry. Major food companies, including household names like Kraft, Hershey and Tyson, are responding to these updated guidelines by reformulating products and removing synthetic dyes - a tangible step toward healthier choices for parents and children.

On another critical national front, the Trump administration is restoring integrity and common sense to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by giving states the flexibility to pursue waivers that prioritize healthy foods. For too long, significant portions of SNAP dollars have been spent on empty calories that do nothing to nourish those who rely on those benefits.

By approving sensible waivers and empowering states to promote healthier options, the Trump administration is strengthening SNAP for those who truly need it and putting nutrition back at the center of the program.

And the first bill signed into law in 2026 was my Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act - a bipartisan bill that simply brings whole milk back to the school lunch programs, correcting a mistake made decades ago to remove whole milk. This legislation is a win for our kids, ensuring they get the nutrients they need, and for the hardworking families who make it possible.

For the first time in history, America's health crisis is no longer being treated as an inconvenient fact of life - it is being named, confronted and addressed with solutions and the seriousness it demands.

There are few things more important than the health of our families and our nation. After a year of hard work, we're already seeing progress - and we're just getting started.

The Make America Healthy Again agenda is about putting patients and parents first, focusing on preventing, and making it easier for Americans to live healthier lives.

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