The Numbers That Should Scare You

In my capacity as CEO of The Arena Group, it's not often that I'm the one conducting an interview. But when the opportunity arose to sit down with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., intrigue got the best of me.

We met at Colorado National Monument on the same day Kennedy launched GetActive.gov, a federal initiative aimed at getting Americans back outside and in motion-hiking, hunting, fishing, exercising, and reconnecting with nature. The program is one pillar of the broader Make America Healthy Again agenda, which seeks to address the nation's chronic disease crisis through changes to public health, food, and agricultural policy.

I didn't go to Colorado expecting to have my assumptions rattled, but as the topics moved from nutrition and chronic illness to movement, purpose, and the modern American lifestyle, I found the conversation to be one worth having.

We're the sickest we've ever been

"We spend two to three times on healthcare what European countries spend and have the worst health outcomes1," Kennedy said. Similarly among wealthy, developed nations, we rank the highest in obesity2 and fourth in the world for diabetes.3 And the trajectory isn't flattening-it's accelerating.

Kennedy says when he was a kid, a pediatrician might see one case of type 2 diabetes in an entire career. Today, the most recent figures put 33% of adolescents in America as pre-diabetic.4 That statistic stopped being abstract for me when a close friend's son was recently diagnosed. I watched the family reorganize their entire life around managing a disease that was nearly unheard of in kids when we were growing up. Now we all know several.

National testosterone and sperm count levels are dropping

It's hard to ignore the implications of lower sperm count and testosterone levels. Reduced sperm counts predict a higher chance of all-cause mortality and morbidity in men.6 Globally, over the past 50 years, sperm counts have plummeted by more than 50%.

Testosterone levels for men aged 15 to 39 from 1999 to 2000 was 605 ng/dL.5 It dropped to 451 ng/dL from 2015 to 2016, even after adjusting for BMI. That's a decline of about 25%.

Kennedy points to endocrine disruptors, microplastics, pesticides like atrazine, and phthalates and BPA in everything from food packaging to clothing. "Young men are swimming through a toxic soup," he said. Research shows strong evidence for biological plausibility, but not definite causation.

The consequences aren't just tied to reproduction either-low testosterone is directly tied to depression, obesity, and shortened lifespan.7 Needless to say, I'll be getting my testosterone tested.

His department is now funding studies to identify which plastics are driving the damage and working toward reducing their production.

Screens are impacting developing minds

Teens from 13 to 18 years old average almost 8.6 hours of screen time per day.8 Kennedy doesn't see this as a parenting problem. He sees it as a public health emergency. "We've issued warnings about screen time," Kennedy says. "They're missing life."

Researchers increasingly worry that excessive screen use is replacing the real-world experiences through which children learn emotional regulation, conflict resolution, resilience, and frustration tolerance.9 While a direct link remains difficult to prove, a growing body of evidence links heavy screen exposure to poorer social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes.

A national JAMA study found teens who develop an addictive reliance on social media are 2 to 3 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared to peers.10 (Total screen time alone is not as strong of a predictor.)

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents 10-14, and the third leading cause for those ages 15 to 25.11

That's part of the impetus for GetActive.gov. It's a federal push to get Americans back outside-fishing, hiking, strength training, and any other recreation that keeps people moving. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum opened hundreds of federal land locations under Secretary's Order 3447. The memo called on the National Park Service and other land management agencies-including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation-to remove what it deemed unnecessary barriers to hunting and fishing.

As an obvious proponent, Kennedy says, "We need to reconnect people with the outdoors, with nature. People come out with a much deeper meaning in their lives."

National Parks Conservation Association released a press release noting possible implications in this loosening of restrictions.12

"Our national parks are the gold standard for American conservation where we must maintain a careful balance between fish and wildlife restoration, recovery, and recreational and subsistence access," said Senior Wildlife Program Director Bart Melton, who also noted 433 national park sites already offer opportunities for hunting and fishing before Order 3447.

80% of American men are failing a basic test

The federal physical activity guidelines-a minimum threshold of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity, not a fitness goal-are unmet by 80% of American adults.13 And 77% of American men of military age don't qualify to serve due to being overweight, using drugs, or having mental and physical health problems.14

Kennedy points to a broken system. The food supply was compromised. The environment was contaminated. The incentives in healthcare rewarded treating disease, not preventing it. "My agency was captured by commercial interests," he said.

He also alleges President Trump's leadership and willingness to challenge longstanding assumptions in public health for creating the opportunity to pursue reforms that many in Washington had avoided for decades.

What you can actually do

June is Men's Health Month. It shouldn't be about hitting a PR or dropping a pants size in 30 days. It should be about recognizing unhealthy patterns and course correcting toward a healthier future.

Kennedy sticks to a modified carnivore diet-red meat, fish, fermented vegetables, grass-fed yogurt-goes to the gym every day, and hikes whenever possible. He's dabbled in the trending health optimizers-peptides, stem cells, supplements, you name it-with mixed results.

Kennedy also discussed the administration's ongoing review of the federal Dietary Guidelines. He argued that decades of nutrition advice often overcomplicated a simple principle and described the effort as a chance to "flip the food pyramid" with one straightforward message: Eat real food.

The lesson I took from our conversation wasn't that there's a secret protocol waiting to be discovered. It's that the fundamentals still matter most: Eat better, move more, spend time outdoors, and do it consistently.

"Abraham Lincoln was once asked what he would do if he had six hours to cut down a tree, and he said he'd spend five hours sharpening the ax," Kennedy said. "All of us perform better when we're operating at our highest level."

Whether your goal is to be a better athlete, a better parent, a better leader, or simply to feel better waking up each morning, the first step is the same: Invest in the health that makes everything else possible.

Sources

[1]Munira Z. Gunja, Evan D. Gumas, and Reginald D. Williams II, U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2026: Expanded Edition (Commonwealth Fund, May 2026).

[2] "Obesity Rates by Country 2026." World Population Review, 2026.

[3] Top 10 Countries or Territories for Number of Adults (20–79 Years) with Diabetes in 2021 and 2045." IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th ed., International Diabetes Federation, 2021. NCBI Bookshelf.

[4] "Spotlight." United States Diabetes Surveillance System, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 12 June 2026.

[5] Kahl, Kristie L. "Testosterone Levels Show Steady Decrease Among Young US Men."Urology Times, vol. 48, no. 7, 3 July 2020.

[6] "Good Semen Quality and Life Expectancy: A Cohort Study of 43,277 Men." American Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 170, no. 5, 1 Sept. 2009, pp. 559–565.

[7] Solan, Matthew. "Low Testosterone Levels Linked to Shorter Life Span."Harvard Health Publishing, reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, 1 Aug. 2024.

[8] Rideout, Victoria, et al. The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021. Common Sense Media, 2022.

[9] Madigan, Sheri, et al. "Association Between Screen Time and Children's Performance on a Developmental Screening Test."JAMA Pediatrics, vol. 173, no. 3, Mar. 2019, pp. 244–50. PubMed Central.

[10] Xiao, Yunyu, et al. "Addictive Screen Use Trajectories and Suicidal Behaviors, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health in US Youths."JAMA, vol. 334, no. 3, 2025, pp. 219-28.

[11] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Suicide." Health, United States, National Center for Health Statistics, 5 Aug. 2024.

[12] Melton, Bart. "Secretarial Order Aims for Access that Already Exists Across Many National Parks." National Parks Conservation Association, 15 Jan. 2026.

[13] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed., 2018.

[14] Council for a Strong America. "77 Percent of American Youth Can't Qualify for Military Service. Mission: Readiness," 2022.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 7:01 PM.