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Were Americans really healthier when John F. Kennedy was president?

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. often harkens back to when his uncle was president as a healthier time for Americans. Life expectancy researchers fact-checked that claim.

NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

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