November 2, 2023 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has introduced the bicameral Reducing Obesity in Youth Act, legislation that would address the epidemic of childhood obesity in America. The bill would create incentives to improve the future health of American children and affect future national health care costs and national security. U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced the House version last month.

According to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, roughly one in five children in the United States between the ages of 2 and 19 is affected by obesity.

"A healthy nation starts with healthy children," said Senator Booker. "Childhood obesity not only poses a health crisis, leading to higher risks of chronic diseases, stroke, and heart conditions but also carries significant economic implications. This bicameral bill will allocate funds for grant programs that encourage healthy dietary choices and ensure a healthier future for all our children."

“I have long been concerned that Tennessee has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the nation. The national childhood obesity rate is dangerously high but, in recent years, Tennessee has trended even higher than the national average. The Reducing Obesity in Youth Act I am introducing with Senator Booker would reverse this trend and improve the health and well-being of America’s children. Research shows that early childhood is an important time for developing positive dietary and physical activity behaviors. The House and Senate bills being introduced would create a competitive grant program to incentivize the development of earlier health and nutrition education environments for our children. A healthy start will lead to healthy lives,” said Representative Cohen.

The legislation is endorsed by the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, Better Children’s Diets, Curricula Concepts, Inc., First Focus Campaign for Children, Florida Chapter for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Health Council of Southeast Florida, Jump in for Healthy Kids, Kids Forward, Laurie M. Trisch Center for Food, Education, and Policy, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Mary Ann Liebert Inc., Nemours Children’s Health System, Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation, Save the Children, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

The full text of the bill can be found here.
Source: Senator Cory Booker