ALI: EARLIER THIS YEAR, WEST VIRGINIA BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST STATES TO BAN ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES.

IT'S PART OF A LARGER MOVEMENT KNOWN AS MAHA, AN EFFORT CHAMPIONED BY HEALTH SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.

WE WENT THERE TO SEE HOW THE NEW LAW IS PLAYING OUT.

>> DO YOU WANT TO HELP ME?

>> DINNER TIME IS A FAMILY AAFFAIR.

5-YEAR-OLD EVEE WORKS THE SKILLET.

DAD JOSH SERVES.

AND ALL THE KIDS CLEAN THEIR PLATES.

>> MEAL TIME AT OUR HOUSE CAN BE AAITTLE CRAZY, BUT IT'S FUN.

WE TRY TO KEEP THE KIDS' FOODS INTERESTED, FINE, AND HEALTHY.

ALI: THE MOM OF FOUR PREPARES MEALS THAT ARE HEALTHY, HOMEMADE, AND FULL OF COLOR.

JUST WANT ARTIFICIAL ONES.

THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR 6-YEAR-OLD NATHAN, WHO LOVES TRUCKS AND DANCING AND HAS DOWN'S SYNDROME.

>> FOR NATHAN, HAVING DOWN'S SYNDROME MAKES HIM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TOXINS IN GENERAL, AND I CAN'T CONTROL THE MEDICAL ONES HE HAS TO RECEIVE THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME, SO I MAKE SURE HE HAS A GOOD BASE OF NUTRITION.

ALI: THE GOOD BASE OF NUTRITION IS TESTED AT SCHOOL, WHERE IT CAN BE HARD TO RESIST ALL THE TEMPTING TREATS IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> THERE'S ALWAYS ALL THESE CELEBRATIONS, WHERE THEY'RE BRINGING IN CUPCAKES, AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF FOOD DYE IN THAT.

AND I DIDN'T WANT NATHAN TO BE EXPOSED TO THAT.

REPORTER: THE GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA DOESN'T WANT ANYONE IN HIS STATE TO BE EXPOSED TO IT.

>> LET'S START WITH NO MORE DYES AND DANGEROUS ADDITIVES IN THE SCHOOLS.

REPORTER: THIS PAST MARCH, HE APPROVED A BAN ON SEVEN ARTIFICIAL DYES.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.

ATTENDED THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND CREDITED SUPPORTERS OF HIS MAKE HERK HEALTHY AGAIN MOVEMENT, OR MAHA, FOR HELPING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE NEW LIFE.

>> I WANT TO THANK THE MAHA MOMS WHO GOT ME INTO THIS OFFICE AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS GIVEN ME FREE REIN TO DO ANYTHING I NEED TO DO.

TO MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN.

REPORTER: KENNEDY SAID HE BELIEVES FOOD DYES ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF MANY PROBLEMS.

>> IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT DYES, AT GOVERNOR MORRISSEY, IS BANNING ALL OF THEM ARE LINKED IN VERY, VERY STRONG STUDIES TO ADHD AND TO CANCERS.

REPORTER: THE DOCTOR OF ONE OF THOSE STUDIES THAT FOCUSED ON THE EFFECT OF FOOD DYES ON THE BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN.

>> THE OVERALL FINDINGS FROM THESE STUDIES SUPPORT AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INTAKE OF ARTIFICIAL FOOD COLORS AND CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR IN THE CHILDREN.

REPORTER: WHAT GAPS STILL REMAIN IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LENGTH THAT YOU JUST LAID OUT?

>> I THINK WHEN WE NEED TO HAVE MORE RESEARCH, IT'S TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF EXPOSURE ON CHANGES IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

IT MAY BE THAT CHILDREN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE ALREADY DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD, THAT AN ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE TO A CHEMICAL THAT IMPACTS BRAIN FUNCTION COULD EXACERBATE THAT.

BUT THE DATA ON THAT IS NOT CLEAR.

REPORTER: WEST VIRGINIA'S FOOD DYE BAN WENT INTO EFFECT IN SCHOOLS IN AUGUST AND WILL EXTEND STATEWIDE IN 2028.

THAT'S WHEN THE F.D.A.

IS ALSO AIMING FOR A NATIONWIDE PHASE-OUT OF THESE SAME DYES.

THE TRADE GROUP SUPPORTING THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE MAKERS TOLD PBS NEWS WEEKEND ITS MEMBERS ARE PLANNING TO VOLUNTARILY CUT DYES BEFORE THOSE DEADLINES.

BUT IN WEST VIRGINIA, THE FOOD CHALLENGES RUN DEEPER THAN DYES.

>> WEST VIRGINIA IS ALSO ONE OF THE HUNGRIEST STATES IN THE NATION, AND SOME EXPERTS SAY IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO BAN SOME ARTIFICIAL DYES, BUT THAT IT SHOULDN'T DISTRACT FROM MORE UNDERLYING PROBLEMS LIKE INHE CAN WICK AT ACCESS TO FOOD AND HEALTHY FOOD.

>> I THINK THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING TO DO A LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE FOOD HEALTHIER.

BUT I THINK A LITTLE BIT MISGUIDED.

REPORTER: RHONDA IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY NET POLICY ANALYST WITH THE WEST VIRGINIA CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF FOOD DESERTS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE PREPARING HEALTHY MEALS REALLY DIFFICULT.

AND IN A LOT OF PLACES, FOODS WITH DYES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE.

SO I THINK THAT THIS MAY HARM FOOD SECURITY IN THE SHORT AND LONG TERM AS WE FOCUS ON FOOD RATHER THAN ACCESSIBILITY TO FOOD ITSELF.

REPORTER: CINDY HELPS WEST VIRGINIANS ACCESS FOOD EVERY DAY.

SHE'S THE C.E.O.

OF FACING HUNGER FOOD BANK, WHICH SERVES PEOPLE ACROSS APPALACHIA.

>> YOU SEE THE BIG VARIETY OF CARS.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE CARS HAS A STORY.

>> AND IT HAS LED THEM TO SIT IN LINE AND WAIT FOR FOOD.

ROMAINE: WE MET HER AT A MOBILE PANTRY EVENT ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM DANIELLE ELLIS' HOUSE.

HERE, DRIVERS LINED UP HOURS IN ADVANCE TO RECEIVE FREE GROCERIES, INCLUDING FRESH MEAT AND PRODUCE, ALONG WITH SOME SHELF-STABLE GOODS CONTAINING PRESERVATIVES AND FOOD DYES.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE LOVELY OF NEED RIGHT NOW?

>> VERY HIGH.

FOLKS WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE, OPERATE FROM A POSITION OF NOT SO MUCH THRIVING, BUT SURVIVING.

>> DESPITE THE HIGH NEEDS, SHE'S LOST CRITICAL FEDERAL SUPPORT SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP RETURNED TO OFFICE.

REDUCTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS LOW-INCOME AMERICANS CUT DEEP.

>> WHEN THE INITIAL CUTS WERE ANNOUNCED IN APRIL, WE WERE EXPECTING 16 TRUCK LOADS OF FOOD.

11 OF THEM GOT CUT.

THAT'S 330,000 POUNDS OF FOOD.

>> IN THE BACK SEAT OR THE TRUNK?

BACK SEAT, ALL RIGHT.

REPORTER: THE NEW FOOD DYE BAN WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR HER TO HEM PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WITHOUT FULL ACCESS TO KITCHENS.

MICROWAVE FOODS ALSO HAVE DYES.

IF SHE HAS TO REMOVE FROM THEY ARE LIST, SHE'LL HAVE LESS TO HAND OUT TO FOLKS IN DESPITE NEED.

>> I LOVE THE MOVEMENT, BUT LET'S BRING EVERYONE ALONG WITH US.

YES, LET'S MAKE THAT MOVE.

BUT LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN REPLACE THOSE ITEMS WITH.

REPORTER: 61-YEAR-OLD BILL BELL AGREES.

HE WAS AMONG THOSE LINED UP FOR GROCERIES.

>> GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE DYES IN THE FOOD, THE SUGARS, I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST GETTING INTO TELLING THEM BASICALLY WHAT YOU CAN EAT AND WHAT YOU CAN'T EAT.

IT'S GETTING TO BE RIDICULOUS AT THE GROCERY STORES AND OTHER THINGS.

SO JUST NEED A LITTLE EXTRA HELP.

>> I'M READY!

REPORTER: DANIELLE ELLIS' FAMILY HAS ALSO FELT THE ECONOMIC PINCH.

SHE SAYS FEEDING HER FAMILY HIGH-QUALITY, ARTIFICIAL-DYE MEALS TAKES CREATIVITY.

>> I EVEN HAD A FRIEND THAT WOULD GIVE US EGGS, AND AT THE TIME I WAS ACTUALLY A NURSING MOM, SO I WOULD -- I DONATED MILK TO HER BABY.

SO WE TRADED IT.

>> SHE UNDERSTANDS NOT EVERYONE CAN PUT THAT MUCH EFFORT INTO BUYING AND BARTERING FOR THEIR FOOD.

YOU WERE THE FOOD IS OUT THERE.

AND IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE -- THERE ARE CONNECTIONS TO KNOW WHERE TO FIND ADDITIONAL FOOD CHOICES THAT ARE HEALTHY.

REPORTER: BUT SHE SAYS WEST VIRGINIANS ARE STARTING TO DEMAND BETTER OPTIONS, AND THE FOOD DYE BAN IS AN IMPORTANT SIGN OF THAT.

>> I'VE STARTED SEEN EVEN RECENTLY WAL-MART, THAT THEY ARE OFFERING DYE-FREE OPTIONS, THAT THEY'RE OFFERING NON-G.M.O.

AND ORGANIC OPTIONS.

WE'RE VOTING WITH OUR DOLLARS AT THE GROCERY STORE.

REPORTER: AND THOSE DOLLARS TEND TO BE IN THE HANDS OF MOMS.

>> THE MAHA MOVEMENT HAS LARGELY BEEN DRIVEN BY MOMS, YEAH.

>> WOULD YOU SAY YOU WERE MAHA BEFORE?

>> YES.

I'VE BEEN ON A MAHA JOURNEY FOR ABOUT THE LAST 15 YEARS.

JUST DIDN'T LABEL IT.

REPORTER: SHE SAYS SHE'S IN ALL WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHIER FOODS, BUT NOT SOLD ON ALL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AGENDA.

>> MY SON HAS DOWN'S SYNDROME.

I'VE SEEN HIM CUT FUNDING TO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD HELP NATHAN AS AN ADULT.

AND THAT SCARES ME.

BUT I SUPPORT THE MAKE HERK HEALTHY AGAIN MOVEMENT.

REPORTER: LIKE ALL PARENTS, SHE KNOWS HER CHILDREN WILL FACE PLENTY OF CHALLENGES ON THEIR OWN.

BUT FOR NOW SHE'S HELPING TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE FOOD THAT GOES ON THEIR PLATE.