SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Obesity in the United States has reached 
crisis proportions. According to the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a 
third of all American adults are now overweight. Of 
even greater concern, the percentage of children and 
adolescents who are overweight leaped to 16 percent 
in 2006, a percentage which has more than doubled 
since 1980. 
(2) Overweight adolescents are likely to become 
overweight adults, at risk of developing obesity-re-
lated, life-threatening diseases such as cancer, type 
2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, arthritis, and 
breathing problems. They will join an adult popu-
lation struggling with a staggering 61 percent over-
weight rate. Not only will the Nation’s children face 
life-threatening diseases at younger ages, they will 
face academic challenges due to poor health behav-
iors—resulting in even greater risk to their future 
health and earning and the Nation’s economic 
growth and worldwide competition. 
(3) Obesity and insufficient physical activity are 
not merely personal issues. Rather, these are public 
health problems with wide-ranging implications for 
the Nation’s economy and quality of life. Research 
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shows that a significant community-based response 
can halt the rising tide, and a comprehensive, multi 
tiered approach shows the greatest promise of suc-
cess and sustainability. A program thrives when it 
works for change not only on the individual level, 
but also within communities and across a broad 
spectrum of society. In addition, it is vitally impor-
tant to understand the cultural context of each com-
munity and to partner with them in building rel-
evant and meaningful programs. 
(4) State chronic disease programs have de-
pended heavily upon the CDC for funding to address 
obesity. The obesity epidemic has outpaced Federal 
support, contributing to the escalating rise of obesity 
in an increasingly younger population. Clearly the 
obesity epidemic is also affecting the preparedness of 
the United States. Health and fitness have always 
been a critical concern to the Nation’s military, po-
lice, fire departments, and first responders. 
(5) Military sources state that 80 percent of re-
cruits who exceed the military weight-for-height 
standards at entry leave the military before they 
complete their first term of enlistment. This in turn 
increases the cost of recruitment and training. These 
issues threaten the long-term welfare and readiness 
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of United States military forces and associated pre-
paredness responders such as police, fire depart-
ments, and first responders. 
(6) Obesity and overweight are not just a public 
health issue, but also a national security issue. If the 
Nation’s society is not physically fit, we will not be 
able to defend ourselves and the Nation’s common 
interests. 
(7) This Act rises to the obesity challenge, with 
innovative ways to help children and young adults be 
physically active and eat more nutritiously. 
SEC. 3. COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM TO PROMOTE PHYS-
ICAL ACTIVITY AND GOOD NUTRITION AND 
PREVENT OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE. 
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 317S the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317T. COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM TO PROMOTE 
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND GOOD NUTRITION 
AND PREVENT OBESITY AND CHRONIC DIS-
EASE. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—For the purpose of enabling State 
health departments to maintain a community action team 
program described in subsection (d), the Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(1) make an allotment each fiscal year for the 
health department of each State in an amount deter-
mined under subsection (c); and 
‘‘(2) make a grant to the health department of 
the allotment if the health department submits an 
application in accordance with subsection (f). 
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION; CONSULTATION.—The Sec-
retary shall carry out this section— 
‘‘(1) acting through an appropriate agency or 
office of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, such as the National Center for Chronic 
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; and 
‘‘(2) in consultation with appropriate nonprofit 
organizations, such as the National Association of 
Chronic Disease Directors. 
‘‘(c) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary shall determine the amount of a grant 
under this section to a State health department for 
a fiscal year on a competitive basis. 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.—The Secretary 
may not provide more than $100,000 under this sec-
tion for a fiscal year to any State for management 
and administration of activities. 
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‘‘(3) COMMUNITY
FUNDING.—The Secretary 
shall provide a minimum of $300,000 under this sec-
tion to each State receiving a grant under this sec-
tion for the fiscal year involved. 
‘‘(d) COMMUNITY ACTION TEAMS.—A funding agree-
ment for a grant under this section is that the State health 
department involved will expend the grant only for the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) The State health department will use the 
grant to establish and implement community action 
teams. 
‘‘(2) Each such community action team— 
‘‘(A) will work within the local community 
to promote healthier lifestyles through physical 
activity and good nutrition and thereby prevent 
obesity and chronic disease; and 
‘‘(B) will serve for a period of 3 years. 
‘‘(3) The State health department will maintain 
a total of 4 to 8 community action teams within the 
State in any given fiscal year 
‘‘(4) At the end of the first 3-year period de-
scribed in paragraph (2)(B), and every 2 years 
thereafter, the State health department will establish 
new community action teams in communities which 
have not yet had such a team. 
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‘‘(5) The State health department will provide 
technical assistance to the community action teams. 
‘‘(e) PROGRAM EVALUATION.—A funding agreement 
for a grant under this section is that the State health de-
partment involved, in collaboration with the Secretary, will 
collect data on the effectiveness of the department’s com-
munity action team program under this section. 
‘‘(f) APPLICATION
FOR GRANT.—For purposes of 
subsection (a)(2), an application for a grant under this 
section is in accordance with this subsection if the applica-
tion— 
‘‘(1) contains each funding agreement required 
by this section; and 
‘‘(2) is in such form, is submitted in such man-
ner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and 
information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(g) NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) conduct training institutes to jump-start 
the work of community action teams funded through 
this section; 
‘‘(2) provide such teams with access to national 
experts in ongoing community change; and 
‘‘(3) disseminate information about successes 
achieved through this section to communities across 
the Nation. 
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choose to make grants under this section on a com-
petitive basis instead of making a grant to each 
State health department that submits an application 
in accordance with subsection (f); and’’. 
Æ 
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