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Congressman Cohen and Senator Booker Introduce Reducing Obesity in Youth Act

December 9, 2020

Incentivizes positive dietary and physical activity behaviors

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today introduced legislation and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced a companion bill in the Senate to address the epidemic of childhood obesity in America. The measure, the Reducing Obesity in Youth Act, has implications for the future health of these children and has a bearing on future national health care costs and national security.

Today, one in three American teens and children are overweight or obese, placing them at risk of a host of cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"I have been disheartened 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. These already challenging circumstances have only been exacerbated by the ongoing public health crisis, which has had serious impacts on the health and well-being of children and families. Fortunately, research has shown that early childhood is an important time for developing positive dietary and physical activity behaviors. I am pleased to partner with Senator Booker to introduce the Reducing Obesity in Youth Act that would encourage and support these positive behaviors. The House and Senate bills being introduced today would create a competitive grant program to incentivize the development of earlier health and nutrition education environments for our children. We have to help our children get healthy starts so they can lead healthy lives."

Senator Booker made the following statement:

"We know that the choices our children make in their earliest years when it comes to healthy eating and exercise will impact them throughout their lives. This bill will empower communities to work together to prevent childhood obesity and help our children build lifelong healthy habits."

The Reducing Obesity in Youth Act would create a grant program to assist in the development of healthier early care and education environments to improve healthy eating and physical activity among children from birth through 5 years of age.

The bill has been endorsed by the Nemours Children's Health System.

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