Urge Congress to Make Obesity a National Health Priority

Please ask Congress to address the obesity epidemic by strengthening the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO). The Division is currently woefully underfunded; an additional $48 million would allow it to support obesity prevention programs nationwide.

The CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity aims to implement national programs and give states financial and other support to plan and implement programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity and prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. With funding at $42 million, CDC is able to support only 23 states. The remaining 28 states receive no funds from CDC to address a condition that affects two-thirds of American adults, contributes to 112,000 deaths annually, and costs the nation $123 billion in treatment costs.

Please contact your members of Congress (see model below), and urge them to make obesity prevention a national priority.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

As the Congress focuses on health reform this year, please make obesity prevention a national health priority by supporting a $48 million increase in federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO).  That increase would help to ensure obesity prevention programs nationwide.

Obesity is one of the greatest health concerns of our time, with over two-thirds of American adults and one-third of children overweight or obese.  Because obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, it causes over 112,000 deaths a year and costs the nation $123 billion annually, half of which is paid through Medicare and Medicaid.

The CDC's DNPAO provides states with financial and logistical support to plan and implement state programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity to prevent chronic disease and reduce obesity.  There are currently 23 funded states.  Current funding levels mean that 28 states do not receive any CDC funding for obesity prevention.  Thirteen of those states (AZ, FL, IL, KS, MD, ME, NM, MO, OK, OR, PA, SD, VT) lost funding last year due to insufficient funds.

Please let me know if you will support an appropriations of $90 million for the CDC's DNPAO, so that all states can be funded for obesity prevention.  The country cannot afford to wait to make obesity a national priority.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Your Congressperson
Your Senators

Complete the following to send this message. If you have participated before, just type in your email address and set your prefix, then submit the form.

Email:*

Prefix:*

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Address Line 1:*

Address Line 2:

City:*

State/ Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:*

Country:*

Check this box if you would like to receive periodic updates or action alerts

* Required Field

Tell-A-Friend