| Momentum behind efforts to Make America Healthy Again is building on Capitol Hill and in statehouses across the country, but one place has been a standout: Utah. Lawmakers from Utah have been at the forefront of pushing legislation backed by allies of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is leading the MAHA movement. RFK Jr. has said removing fluoride from water would be a top priority of the Trump administration. Now Utah is about to become the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems. Kennedy also wants to stop people from using supplemental food benefits to buy junk food. Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee has partnered with Senator Katie Britt of Alabama to introduce legislation to ensure that federal nutrition assistance programs can't pay for soda, ice cream, candy or other desserts. A parallel effort is ongoing in the statehouse. The state legislature recently passed a bill seeking to end use of federal nutrition assistance for candy and soda. The bill was called a "no-brainer" by RFK Jr. ally Calley Means, cofounder of Truemed, which encourages people to spend health savings dollars on fitness tools and supplements. US Representative Blake Moore, a Utah Republican, has introduced a bill to increase the amount Americans are allowed to save for health costs. Means, who wants to "steer more healthcare dollars to incentivize metabolic habits at the root of disease," told the Utah News Dispatch that "Mike Lee is pushing this on the federal level, and I'm working with him." Moore is also leading the charge to expand access to tax-advantaged accounts for health care costs. The accounts would be available to all people with insurance, and may be used to pay for expenses that insurance wouldn't normally cover. Though other states drink more sugary beverages per capita, Utah has an unusually robust soda culture. Several drive-through chains sell a drink called "dirty soda," made from a base of soda, with added syrups, juices, cream or fruit. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discourages the consumption of coffee, tea and alcohol, which leaves soda to fill the gap. About 40% of Utah's population identifies as Mormon. Kennedy says ultra-processed foods cause chronic diseases and recently told food manufacturers to eliminate artificial dyes. Utah's state legislature is considering a bill to ban ultra-processed foods in school lunches. On Tuesday, Bank of America analysts led by Allen Lutz told clients that North Dakota, Tennessee and Montana also have considered banning fluoride and that dental businesses could be the beneficiaries, since fluoride consumption reduces cavities by 25%. The trickle-down effects of the MAHA movement are just beginning, but other states are likely to follow Utah's lead. — Rachel Cohrs Zhang | 
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