I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2044 
To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2009 
Mrs. LOWEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Obesity in 
Schools Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) 
It 
is 
estimated 
that 
64.5 
percent 
(119,000,000) of American adults and 15 percent 
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(9,000,000) of American children are overweight or 
obese. 
(2) The prevalence of obesity among children 
aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past 20 
years, going from 7 percent in 1980 to 18.8 percent 
in 2004. The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 
more than tripled, increasing from 5 percent to 17.1 
percent. 
(3) An estimated 61 percent of overweight 
young people have at least 1 additional risk factor 
for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or high 
blood pressure. In addition, children who are over-
weight are at greater risk for bone and joint prob-
lems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological prob-
lems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem. 
(4) According to the Department of Health and 
Human Services, obesity-related illnesses cost this 
nation approximately $117,000,000,000 per year in 
increased 
health 
care 
costs. 
This 
includes 
$61,000,000,000 in direct medical costs for treat-
ment of related diseases and $56,000,000,000 in in-
direct costs such as lost productivity. 
(5) A report released by Trust for America’s 
Health, entitled ‘‘F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies 
are Failing in America’’, found that the United 
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States does not have an aggressive, coordinated na-
tional strategy needed to address this crisis. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBE-
SITY. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in co-
operation with State and local governments, Federal agen-
cies, local educational agencies, health care providers, the 
research community, and the private sector, shall develop 
a national strategy to reduce childhood obesity in the 
United States. Such strategy shall— 
(1) provide for the reduction of childhood obe-
sity rates by 10 percent by the year 2013; 
(2) address both short- and long-term solutions 
to reducing the rates of childhood obesity in the 
United States; 
(3) identify how the Federal Government can 
work effectively with State and local governments, 
local educational agencies, health care providers, the 
research community, the private sector, and other 
entities as necessary to implement the strategy; and 
(4) include measures to identify and overcome 
all obstacles to achieving the goal of reducing child-
hood obesity in the United States. 
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SEC. 4. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO 
ADOPT WELLNESS POLICIES AND ANTI-OBE-
SITY INITIATIVES. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention shall make grants to local 
educational agencies to reduce childhood obesity by adopt-
ing wellness policies and anti-obesity initiatives. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—As a condition on the receipt 
of a grant under this section, a local educational agency 
shall agree to use the grant to reduce childhood obesity 
by adopting wellness policies and anti-obesity initiatives, 
which may include one or more of the following: 
(1) Strategies to improve the nutritional value 
of food served on school campuses. 
(2) Innovative ways to incorporate nutrition 
education into the curriculum from prekindergarten 
through grade 12. 
(3) Increased physical activity in during-and- 
after-school activities. 
(4) Any other measure that, in the determina-
tion of the Director, may provide a significant im-
provement in the health and wellness of children. 
(c) COST SHARING.—As a condition on the receipt 
of a grant under this section, a local educational agency 
shall agree to pay, from funds derived from non-Federal 
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sources, not less than 25 percent of the costs of the activi-
ties carried out with the grant. 
(d) APPLICATION.—To seek a grant under this sec-
tion, a local educational agency shall submit an application 
to the Director at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Director may require. 
(e) ANNUAL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT.—As a condi-
tion on the receipt of a grant under this section, a local 
educational agency shall agree to submit an annual ac-
countability report to the Director. Each such report shall 
include a description of the degree to which the agency, 
in using grant funds, has made progress in reducing child-
hood obesity. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013. 
SEC. 5. EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS FOR THE PREVENTION 
OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLES-
CENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose described in sub-
section (b), the Director shall (directly or through grants 
or contracts awarded to public or nonprofit private enti-
ties) arrange for the evaluation of a wide variety of exist-
ing programs designed in whole or in part to prevent obe-
sity in children and adolescents, including programs that 
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do not receive grants from the Federal Government for 
operation. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the evaluation under 
this section shall be to determine the following: 
(1) The effectiveness of programs in reducing 
obesity in children and adolescents. 
(2) The factors contributing to the effectiveness 
of the programs. 
(3) The feasibility of replicating the programs 
in other locations. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall sub-
mit a report to the Congress on the results of the evalua-
tion under this section. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013. 
SEC. 6. HEALTHY LIVING AND WELLNESS COORDINATING 
COUNCILS. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Director shall make grants on a 
competitive basis to State governments, local governments, 
and consortia of local governments to reduce childhood 
obesity through— 
(1) establishing or expanding healthy living and 
wellness coordinating councils; and 
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(2) supporting regional workshops. 
(b) USES OF FUNDS.—As a condition on the receipt 
of a grant under this section, an entity shall agree to use 
the grant to carry out one or more of the following: 
(1) Establishing a healthy living and wellness 
coordinating council. 
(2) Expanding the activities of a healthy living 
and wellness coordinating council, including by im-
plementing State-based or region-wide activities that 
will reduce the rates of childhood obesity. 
(3) Supporting regional workshops designed to 
permit educators, administrators, health care pro-
viders, and other relevant parties to share successful 
research-based strategies for increasing healthy liv-
ing and reducing obesity in elementary and sec-
ondary schools. 
(c) COUNCIL REQUIREMENTS.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘healthy living and wellness coordinating council’’ 
means an organization that— 
(1) is charged by a State government, a local 
government, or a consortium of local governments, 
as applicable, to increase healthy living and reduce 
obesity in elementary and secondary schools; and 
(2) is composed of educators, administrators, 
health care providers, and other relevant parties. 
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(d) COST SHARING.—As a condition on the receipt 
of a grant under this section, an entity shall agree to pay, 
from funds derived from non-Federal sources, not less 
than 25 percent of the costs of the activities carried out 
with the grant. 
(e) ANNUAL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT.—As a condi-
tion on the receipt of a grant under this section, an entity 
shall agree to submit an annual accountability report to 
the Director. Each such report shall include a description 
of the degree to which the entity, in using grant funds, 
has made progress in increasing healthy living and reduc-
ing obesity in elementary and secondary schools. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
(2) The term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has 
the meaning given to that term in section 9101 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
Æ 
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