In a bold move to address the growing crisis of diet-related chronic diseases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced a new joint research initiative: the Nutrition Regulatory Science Program.
Unveiled today, the program is a core part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s national health strategy to “Make America Healthy Again.” It aims to uncover the root causes of chronic diseases through science-based nutrition research and inform smarter food policy decisions.
A United Effort to Improve Public Health
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are on the rise in the United States. Many of these are linked to poor diet and ultra-processed foods. The new FDA-NIH program will prioritize research that helps Americans eat better and live healthier lives.
The program will focus on key scientific questions, such as:
How and why do ultra-processed foods harm human health?
What effects do certain food additives have on metabolism and disease risk?
How does nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood impact long-term health, including autoimmune conditions?
Transforming Food Policy Through Science
Dr. Martin A. Makary, FDA Commissioner, said the program targets the nation’s biggest healthcare burden: chronic disease.
“We are focusing our resources on the top contributor to America’s healthcare crisis,” said Dr. Makary. “Like our past success in tobacco regulatory science, this partnership brings together FDA and NIH expertise to reshape food and nutrition research.”
The FDA will lead with its experience in regulatory science, while the NIH will handle research funding, proposal review, and management. Experts from various fields—including nutrition, toxicology, chronic illness, behavioral science, and chemistry—will collaborate to ensure the highest scientific standards.
Ensuring Transparency and Independence
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the NIH, emphasized the urgency of the effort.
“Nutrition has always been central to our mission,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “Partnering with the FDA lets us dig deeper into how food affects health and use that science to improve policy. The time to confront the chronic disease crisis is now.”
Both agencies have committed to ensuring that all research under the program is transparent, unbiased, and free from conflicts of interest.
About the NIH
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the U.S. government’s primary medical research agency. It oversees 27 institutes and centers and is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH leads research into the causes, treatments, and cures of both common and rare diseases.
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