Part 2/8:
During the hearings, Kennedy passionately articulated the critical issues surrounding chronic diseases in America, emphasizing the alarming rates of obesity and associated comorbidities that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He referenced a staggering statistic: the average person who died from COVID-19 had 3.8 chronic illnesses. With a growing sense of urgency, Kennedy underscored that the U.S. leads the world in chronic disease cases, and despite being only 4.2% of the world's population, the nation represented 16% of COVID deaths. His assertion laid bare the severity of the American health crisis, dubbing it an “existential threat” to multiple sectors, including national security and economic stability.