(6) The rising rates of obesity portend greater 
disease and health conditions including hypertension, 
high total cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, coronary 
heart 
disease, 
stroke, 
gallbladder 
disease, 
osteoporosis, sleep apnea, and respiratory problems, 
and some cancers, such as endometrial, breast, and 
colon cancer. 
(7) Many underlying factors have been linked to 
the increase in obesity, such as increasing portion 
sizes, eating out more often, increased consumption 
of sugar-sweetened drinks, increasing television, 
computer, and electronic gaming time, changing 
labor markets, and fear of crime, which prevents 
outdoor exercise. 
(8) Chronic diseases account for 1.7 million, or 
70 percent, of all deaths in the United States each 
year. Although chronic diseases are among the most 
common and costly health problems, they are also 
among the most preventable. Adopting a healthy 
lifestyle such as eating nutritious foods and engag-
ing in physical activity, can prevent or control the 
devastating effects of these diseases. Although 
chronic diseases are among the most common and 
costly health problems, they are also among the 
most preventable. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:52 Jun 10, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4820.IH
H4820
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(9) In 2008, overall medical costs related to 
obesity for United States adults were estimated to 
be as high as $147 billion. People who were obese 
had medical costs that were on average $1,429 high-
er than the cost for people of normal body weight. 
SEC. 3. REDUCTION IN PREVALENCE OF OBESITY; PRO-
GRAM FOR LIFELONG IMPROVEMENTS IN 
FOOD AND EXERCISE. 
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 317T the following section: 
‘‘SEC. 317U. REDUCTION IN PREVALENCE OF OBESITY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, shall carry out a national program to conduct and 
support activities regarding individuals who are over-
weight or obese in order to make progress toward the goal 
of significantly reducing the number of cases of obesity 
among individuals in the United States. 
‘‘(b) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall (directly or through grants 
or contracts) carry out the following with respect to indi-
viduals who are overweight: 
‘‘(1) Activities to train health professionals to 
recognize that patients are overweight and to rec-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:52 Jun 10, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4820.IH
H4820
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ommend prevention activities regarding such condi-
tion, including educating patients on the relationship 
between such condition and cardiovascular disease, 
diabetes, and other health conditions, and on proper 
nutrition and regular physical activities. 
‘‘(2) Activities to educate the public with re-
spect to the condition of being overweight, including 
the development of a strategy for a public awareness 
campaign. 
‘‘(3) The development and demonstration of 
intervention strategies for use at worksites and in 
community settings such as hospitals and commu-
nity health centers. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2015, and 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
2016 through 2018.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:52 Jun 10, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4820.IH
H4820
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS