Unexpected US intervention has led to a declaration to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) failing to be approved at the United Nations.
During the fourth high level meeting on NCDs and mental health at the UN General Assembly in New York on 25 September, dozens of statements were read by member state representatives supporting the declaration.1
But as the US health and human services secretary Robert F Kennedy spoke he said the US rejected it. He claimed that the UN had exceeded its role, by going, for example, too far in recommending taxes on unhealthy products. He also criticised it for its stance on gender ideology and abortion, even though the declaration does not mention either.2
His opposition came despite childhood obesity being one of the main targets of the Make America Healthy Again agenda.3
The latest declaration featured new global targets to be met by 2030: 150 million fewer people using tobacco, 150 million more people with hypertension under control, and 150 million more people being able to access mental healthcare.
For the first time, liver and respiratory diseases were specifically …
