Amid the growing Measles crisis in the US, which has killed 2, and affected 208 people, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy in a recent interview talked about malnutrition as one of the factors for severe disease. Stressing the importance of good health in tackling Measles infections says: “if you are healthy, it’s almost impossible for you to be killed by an infectious disease.” The health secretary said that many doctors on the ground have said that the people who are getting sick are malnourished.
“We need to understand the relationship between good health and chronic disease,” RFK Jr. said during an exclusive interview with Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News’ senior medical analyst.
“If you are healthy, it’s almost impossible for you to be killed by an infectious disease, in modern times — because we have nutrition … and access to medicines. What we need is good science on all of these things so that people can make rational choices.”
The connection between malnutrition and measles
RFK Jr said that in the Texas outbreak, malnourishment may be a crucial factor.
“The doctors that I’m talking to on the ground, the leaders of the community, are reporting that the people who are getting sick are people who are [malnourished],” he said.
“There’s a lot of poverty in that area, [which] is kind of a food desert,” RFK added.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), complications are most common in children under 5 years and adults over age 30. They are more likely in children who are malnourished, especially those without enough vitamin A or with a weak immune system from HIV or other diseases.
However, the role of vaccination cannot be highlighted enough considering it saved many lives since its introduction. Before the introduction of the vaccines in 1963, 400-500 people died from measles every year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There is data to show that severely malnourished children in poor countries often suffer worse outcomes from measles, Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the infectious disease committee at the American Academy of Pediatrics told The New York Times, adding “but there is no credible evidence that poor eating habits and exercise routines make a child more prone to measles complications.”.
RFK Jr says that almost all of them were malnourished children.
“Measles still is a very, very lethal disease in foreign countries and developed countries where there is low malnutrition,” he said, adding, “the best thing Americans can do is to keep themselves healthy. It is very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy, well-nourished person.”
Nutrition is “critical” for overall disease prevention, the HHS secretary told Siegel.
“We need to eat good foods. We need whole foods. We need to get plenty of exercise,” he said.
Undernutrition is a primary contributor to death in 44.8% of childhood fatalities from measles, says the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Malnourished kids are more likely to develop complications of measles and have a higher case-fatality ratio.
“We see a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition or don’t have a good exercise regimen,” RFJ Jr said.
However, many of RFK Jr.’s health claims have been deemed unscientific by experts. While vitamin A is beneficial for measles patients with a deficiency, there is no evidence that it helps those with sufficient levels. Cod liver oil, steroids, and antibiotics, as suggested by the health secretary, are not recommended treatments for measles. Vaccination remains the most effective defense against the disease.
