WASHINGTON, March 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Coalition for Metabolic Health applauds new guidance from Congress directing federal agencies to expand research into metabolic interventions and nutritional approaches for chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, and serious mental illnesses. Congress included the directives in reports accompanying the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill, which was signed into law in February as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026.
“Congress is sending a strong message that metabolic health matters,” said Dr. Maya Maroto, executive director of the Coalition for Metabolic Health. “By directing agencies to dedicate resources toward research on metabolic interventions, lawmakers are helping accelerate the study of dietary approaches that can transform how we prevent and treat chronic disease in America. We look forward to partnering with policymakers to advance that work.”
The Senate appropriations report encourages that several institutes in the National Institutes of Health—including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Mental Health—expand research and support large-scale clinical trials exploring metabolic interventions for diabetes; obesity; cardiovascular disease; Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; Parkinson’s disease; and bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia, respectively. It also encourages the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to expand research on the link between metabolic dysfunction and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Both the Senate and House reports include broader nutrition-related directives, including supporting Food Is Medicine programs, access to medically tailored meals, and the continued study of dietary interventions to prevent and manage chronic disease.
“Advancing evidence-based nutrition science and metabolic health research is essential to solving America’s chronic disease crisis,” said Dr. Bret Scher, medical director of the Coalition for Metabolic Health. “We’re committed to doing our part to help these resources translate into real-world impact for Americans’ health.”
For more information and to sign up for our newsletter, visit coalitionformetabolichealth.org. To request an interview with one of our experts, please contact media@coalitionformetabolichealth.org.
About the Coalition for Metabolic Health
The Coalition for Metabolic Health (CMH) is a national alliance of researchers, clinicians, philanthropists, nonprofits, business leaders, and advocates ushering in a new era in healthcare by making metabolic health mainstream.
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SOURCE Coalition for Metabolic Health
