Norton Introduces Bill to Establish National Effort to Promote Healthy Lifestyles through Nutrition and Exercise

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced the Promoting Healthier Lifelong Improvements in Food and Exercise Act, or the LIFE Act, to encourage exercise and healthy eating habits nationwide. The bill would provide $75 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat obesity and sedentary lifestyles in three ways: conducting national education campaigns about how to recognize and address obesity; training health professionals to recognize the signs of obesity early and to educate people concerning healthy lifestyles; and developing intervention strategies to be used in everyday life, such as in the workplace and in community settings. This initial funding would be for a pilot program to develop best practices and give the country a coherent national strategy for combating overweight and obesity.

Reducing overweight and obesity rates has been a priority for Norton in Congress. Although the LIFE Act applies nationally, she notes that the District of Columbia has higher rates than many jurisdictions of conditions related to overweight and obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

In her introductory statement, Norton states: "Today, chronic diseases, many of which are caused or exacerbated by overweight and obesity, account for 70 percent of all deaths in the U.S. and 75 percent of U.S. medical care costs, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

"I urge support for this bill to mobilize the country before entirely preventable health conditions, which often begin in childhood, overwhelm the nation's health care system."

Norton's full introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the

Introduction of the Promoting Healthier Lifelong Improvements in Food and Exercise Act of 2024

August 6, 2024

Today, I introduce the Promoting Healthier Lifelong Improvements in Food and Exercise Act of 2024, or the LIFE Act, which would establish a national program to combat overweight and obesity, a major health problem in the United States that cannot be remedied through the health care system alone. Increasing rates of overweight and obesity are found among Americans of every age, race and major demographic group, and threaten the health of Americans like no other condition or disease. In fact, the key to reducing or eliminating many of the most serious health conditions is not only to reduce overweight and obesity but also to encourage exercise of all kinds.

This bill would provide $75 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a coordinated national effort to reverse increasingly sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets. Specifically, the CDC, either directly or through grants and contracts, would train health professionals to recognize the signs of overweight and obesity early in order to educate patients about proper nutrition and regular exercise; conduct public education campaigns about how to recognize and address overweight and obesity; and develop intervention strategies for use in everyday life, such as in the workplace and community settings.

The National Survey of Children's Health found that 17 percent of children ages 10 to 17 had obesity in 2020-2021. The CDC National Center for Health Statistics reports that Type 2 diabetes, once considered an adult disease, is now widespread among children. The rising cost of the health care system, including insurance premiums, reflects this epidemic. Today, chronic diseases, many of which are caused or exacerbated by overweight and obesity, account for 70 percent of all deaths in the U.S. and 75 percent of U.S. medical care costs, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The national program established by this bill would provide a model for states and local governments to establish similar programs.

To cite an example of the need for action, the District of Columbia is one of the fittest cities in the U.S., according to a 2023 study by the American College of Sports Medicine, yet, even here, obesity continues to be a severe problem. Approximately one-fifth of D.C. residents are considered obese. Most of the obesity epidemic is exercise- and food-related.

I urge support for this bill to mobilize the country before entirely preventable health conditions, which often begin in childhood, overwhelm the nation's health care system.

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