I
#
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 46
To amend title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
to raise awareness of eating disorders and to create educational programs
concerning the same, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 3, 2001
Mrs. BIGGERT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 to raise awareness of eating disorders
and to create educational programs concerning the same,
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 ‘‘Eating Disorders
Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
HR 46 IH1S
(1) An estimated 5,000,000 to 10,000,000
women and girls and 1,000,000 men and boys suffer
from eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa,
bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, as well
as eating disorders that are not otherwise defined.
(2) 42 percent of 1st through 3d grade girls
want to be thinner and that 81 percent of 10-year-
old children are afraid of being fat.
(3) 35 percent of dieters progress to patholog-
ical dieting and that 20 to 25 percent of these indi-
viduals progress to partial or full syndrome eating
disorders.
(4) Eating disorders can lead to death. Accord-
ing to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in
10 people with anorexia nervosa will die of starva-
tion, cardiac arrest, or other medical complications.
(5) Eating disorders can have a negative impact
on the educational advancement of a student, a situ-
ation often overlooked and rarely addressed in our
Nation’s schools.
(6) Educational efforts to prevent eating dis-
orders are of primary importance to the health, well
being and academic success of our Nation’s stu-
dents.
HR 46 IH1S
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To provide States, local school districts, and
parents with the means and flexibility to improve
awareness of, identify, and help students with eating
disorders.
(2) To help ensure that such individuals receive
a quality education and secure their chance for a
bright future.
SEC. 4. INNOVATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR THE IDENTIFICA-
TION OF, TRAINING ON, AND EDUCATIONAL
AWARENESS OF EATING DISORDERS.
Section 6301(a) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7351(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘and’’ after
the semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding after paragraph (9) the following:
‘‘(10) programs to improve the identification of
students with eating disorders, increase awareness of
such disorders among parents and students, and
train educators (such as teachers, school nurses,
school social workers, coaches, school counselors,
and administrators) on effective eating disorder pre-
vention and assistance methods.’’.
HR 46 IH1S
SEC. 5. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services and the National
Institutes of Health, shall carry out a program to develop,
distribute, and promote the broadcasting of public service
announcements to improve public awareness, and to pro-
mote the identification and prevention, of eating disorders.
SEC. 6. EATING DISORDER RESEARCH AND REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the enactment of this
Act, the National Center for Education Statistics and the
National Center for Health Statistics shall conduct a
study on the impact eating disorders have on educational
advancement and achievement. The study shall—
(1) evaluate the extent to which students with
eating disorders are more likely to miss school, have
delayed rates of development, or have reduced cog-
nitive skills;
(2) report on current State and local programs
to educate youth about the dangers of eating dis-
orders, as well as evaluate the value of such pro-
grams; and
(3) make recommendations on measures that
could be undertaken by Congress, the Department of
Education, States, and local educational agencies to
HR 46 IH1S
strengthen eating disorder prevention and awareness
programs.
Æ