For many years, the medical field has sought to reduce stigma associated with health issues. Recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has stirred discussion by reintroducing terms of personal responsibility. In an interview with CBS News last year, Mr. Kennedy shared a perspective on American health habits. He remarked, “If you want to eat doughnuts all day or drink sodas, that’s your choice.” He questioned whether individuals should expect societal support when predictable health issues arise from such choices.
This stance is consistent with his comments at an event in West Virginia last March. There, Mr. Kennedy ridiculed the governor’s weight, suggesting a public “weigh-in” until the governor lost 30 pounds. He also criticized the obesity epidemic, proposing solutions like three balanced meals a day while dismissing evidence-based approaches such as GLP-1s. He claimed companies behind medications like Ozempic and Wegovy rely on the notion that “Americans are so addicted to drugs.”
Mr. Kennedy’s comments reflect older views on obesity, focusing on personal willpower rather than chronic disease management. Missing from his rhetoric are concepts like body positivity or “health at every size.” Instead, he emphasizes blame, discipline, and deservedness. Some view his approach as moral clarity, while most public health officials see it as outdated and harmful.
According to Allan Brandt, a historian at Harvard Medical School, there’s a noticeable reemergence of stigmas once thought diminished. Over recent decades, public health has shifted away from harsh, virtue-driven messaging. Yet, Mr. Kennedy’s leadership indicates a pushback against this trend. To some, the shift towards destigmatization is seen as overly indulgent, overshadowing personal accountability while structural issues, like food deserts, receive attention.
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