What Americans Really Think About Vaccines and Chemicals in Food, According to Daily Mail Poll

Most Americans agree with Robert F Kennedy Jr. that American food is packed with too many chemicals, even though they still feel “very comfortable” with vaccines, a DailyMail.com poll shows.

The survey asked more than 1,000 adults about their opinions on ultra-processed foods and vaccine mandates, which have come into focus following RFK Jr.’s appointment. to head of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Two-thirds of respondents said they agreed that American foods contain too many oils, fats and other additives, which could fuel the country’s obesity crisis.

Four in ten Americans said they “strongly agree,” while only one in fifteen respondents disagreed with this sentiment.

Those who identified as Republicans were more likely to demonize ultra-processed foods than Democrats, with 76 percent of Republicans versus 64 percent of Democrats saying America’s food contains too many unhealthy ingredients.

Americans were also asked about their views on the Covid shots and more conventional vaccines.

Covid boosters had the least support. About half (51 percent) said yes ‘very comfortable’ or ‘somewhat comfortable’ when taking it.

The BMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) received the most support, with 67 percent of Americans saying they could get it.

The chart above shows the responses of 1,000 Americans about the U.S. food supply. Overall, four in 10 said they ‘strongly agree’ it has too many saturated fats and cancer-causing nitrates, blaming it for rising obesity rates.

RFK Jr has been vocal about his opposition to many vaccines, claiming that no shot is “effective.”

In 2021, he suggested that the Covid shot has “killed more people in the last thirty years than all vaccines combined,” which experts called “inaccurate representation of data.”

He has also stated that vaccines for children could cause a rise in autism rates, which experts have long refuted.

He is also chairman of the anti-vax organization Children’s Health Defense and has previously proposed eliminating school vaccination mandates.

The survey found that people between the ages of 30 and 49 are the most likely to suggest that American food is fueling the country’s obesity crisis, with 67 percent saying they agree.

However, among younger millennials and Generation Z, only 59 percent chose ‘agree’.

The poll found that 69 percent of white Americans agree the food is unhealthful, compared to 66 percent of Hispanic respondents and 55 percent of black respondents.

Looking at political preferences, three-quarters of Republican respondents believe the food supply is too unhealthy, compared to 64 percent of Democrats and 62 percent of independents.

The results come as 40 percent of Americans are now obese, according to the latest CDC data, which experts have attributed to increased access to ultra-processed foods and a growing lack of physical activity.

Saturated fats and added sugars have long been shown to cause plaque to build up in the arteries and raise blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

The above chart shows respondents’ answers regarding vaccines. While most were generally comfortable with vaccines, Covid boosters received the least support

Americans generally felt most comfortable with MMR, polio and flu shots in general

In addition to food, respondents were also asked how comfortable they were receiving routine vaccines.

Overall, Americans had the most confidence in the MMR and polio shots, with 67 percent saying they were comfortable with them. For each of these, only one in ten said they felt ‘very uncomfortable’.

The chickenpox vaccine followed closely behind, with 67 percent of respondents claiming they were most confident.

And when it comes to vaccinations for Hepatitis B, TDAP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough) and the flu, 42 percent of respondents said they were “very confident.”

However, Americans had the least confidence in Covid vaccines and Covid boosters. The poll found that only 54 percent of Americans were “confident” in the Covid vaccine, and 51 percent felt this way about the booster.

Meanwhile, one in four respondents said they felt “very uncomfortable” receiving these shots.

This could be due to the growing amount of misinformation about vaccine side effects spreading by wellness influencers and right-wing politicians, including RFK Jr.

Among his claims, he has suggested that vaccines cause autism, which has long been refuted.

However, Covid vaccines have prevented millions of deaths worldwide. While serious side effects such as autoimmune diseases and paralysis do occur, they are extremely rare, affecting about one in 200,000 people, according to federal data.

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, previously told DailyMail.com: “This is probably one of the most studied vaccines in the world.”