Most Americans agree with Robert F Kennedy Jr that US food is loaded with too many chemicals, though they’re still ‘very comfortable’ with vaccines, a DailyMail.com poll suggests.
The survey asked more than 1,000 adults about their views on ultra-processed foods, and vaccine mandates, which have come into focus after the nomination of RFK Jr to head of the Health and Human Services (HHS).
Two-thirds of respondents said they agreed that US food has too many oils, fats, and other additives, which could be fueling the country’s obesity crisis.
Four in 10 Americans said they ‘strongly agree,’ meanwhile just one in 15 respondents disagreed with this sentiment.
Those who identified as Republicans were more likely to demonize ultra-processed foods than democrat, with 76 percent of Republicans vs 64 percent of Democrats saying America’s food is too high in unhealthy ingredients.
Americans were also asked about their views on the Covid shots and more conventional vaccines.
Covid boosters had the least support. About half (51 percent) said they were ‘very comfortable’ or ‘somewhat comfortable’ with taking them.
The MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) was the most supported, with 67 percent of Americans stating they could get them.
A DailyMail.com poll found that most Americans agree with health and human services secretary nominee Robert F Kennedy Jr (pictured here) about unhealthy US foods. However, they did not share his vaccine sentiments
The above chart shows responses from 1,000 Americans about the US food supply. Overall, four in 10 said they ‘strongly agree’ it has too many saturated fats and cancer-causing nitrates, blaming it for rising obesity rates
RFK Jr has been vocal about his opposition to many vaccines, claiming that no shot is ‘effective.’
In 2021, he suggested that the Covid shot ‘has killed more people than all vaccines combined over the past 30 years,’ which experts called ‘inaccurate representation of data.’
He has also stated that childhood vaccines could be driving a rise in autism rates, which experts have long disproven.
He also chairs the anti-vax organization Children’s Health Defense and has previously suggested getting rid of school vaccine mandates.
The poll found that people ages 30 to 49 were the most likely to suggest US food is fueling the country’s obesity crisis, with 67 percent saying they agree.
Among younger millennials and Gen Z, however, just 59 percent selected ‘agree.’
The poll found that 69 percent of white Americans agree about the unhealthiness of the food compared to 66 percent of Hispanic respondents and 55 percent of black respondents.
When looking at political affiliations, three quarters of Republican respondents believe the food supply is too unhealthy compared to 64 percent of democrats and 62 percent of independents.
The results come as 40 percent of Americans are now obese, according to the latest CDC data, which experts have blamed on greater access to ultra-processed foods and a growing lack of physical activity.
Saturated fats and added sugars have long been shown to cause plaque to build up in the arteries and blood sugar to spike, increasing the risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
The above chart shows respondent answers regarding vaccines. While most were comfrotable with vaccines overall, Covid boosters had the least support
Americans were most comfortable overall with MMR, polio, and flu shots overall
In addition to food, the poll also asked respondents how comfortable they were receiving routine vaccines.
Overall, Americans felt the most confident about the MMR and polio shots, with 67 percent saying they were comfortable getting them. For each of those, just one in 10 said they were ‘very uncomfortable.’
The chickenpox vaccine followed closely behind, with 67 percent of respondents claiming to be the most confident.
And shots for Hepatitis B, TDAP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis), and the flu all had 42 percent of respondents saying they were ‘very confident.’
However, Americans were least confident about Covid vaccines and Covid boosters. The poll showed that only 54 percent of Americans were ‘confident’ about the Covid vaccine, and 51 percent felt this way about the booster.
Meanwhile, one in four respondents said they were ‘very uncomfortable’ receiving these shots.
This could be due to a growing amount of misinformation about vaccine side effects spreading from wellness influencers and right-wing politicians, including RFK Jr.
Among his claims, he has suggested that vaccines cause autism, which has long been disproven.
Covid vaccines, however, have prevented millions of deaths worldwide. While serious side effects like autoimmune conditions and paralysis do occur, these are extremely rare, affecting around one in 200,000 people, according to federal data.
Dr Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, previously told DailyMail.com: ‘These are probably one of the world’s most studied vaccines.’