House and Senate Lawmakers Introduce Obesity-Related Legislation

Bipartisan House sponsors of a bill (H.R. 5209) that would establish a comprehensive national approach to addressing obesity in the United States held a press conference  to unveil the measure on May 5, 2010. Appearing with Representatives Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Mary Bono Mack (R-Cal.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), and Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) to introduce the Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act of 2010 (Healthy CHOICES Act) were representatives from Del Monte Foods, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, American Heart Association, and the YMCA. Referred to several House committees, the bill would authorize an array of grants, take steps to improve child nutrition, improve access to physical activity for adults and children, improve access to nutritional information and healthy foods, change transportation policies to promote healthy lifestyles, and establish research and assessment tools.

Meanwhile, Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) have introduced a bill (S. 3298) that would establish a pilot program in child care facilities to address obesity in children younger than age 5. Titled the Healthy Kids from Day One Act, the legislation would “establish a 3-year pilot program in 5 States that will focus on reducing the increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity among children between birth and 5 years of age in child care settings.” It would provide competitive grants to implement “evidence-based or data-informed healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices, including curricula and other interventions” and train facility staff to promote healthy eating and physical activity “among the birth to 5 years of age population.” Introduced on May 4, the bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.