Obesity Prevention, Treatment, and Research Act of 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9499-9502)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 25, 2008
Obesity Prevention, Treatment, and Research Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to convene a United States Council on Overweight-Obesity Prevention with duties to include developing strategies to comprehensively prevent, treat, and reduce overweight and obesity.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to establish a grant demonstration and pilot program to address overweight and obesity issues, including through promoting increased physical activity and healthier lifestyles.
Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, to award grants to promote health behaviors for women and children in target populations.
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Provides for the collection and analysis of data on fitness levels, health, and nutrition.
Includes community education programs designed to address and prevent overweight, obesity, and eating disorders as activities states may carry out under preventive health services and health services block grants.
Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to update and reform federal oversight of food and beverage labeling.
Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide for additional funding for a program to make free fresh fruits and vegetables available in elementary schools.
Amends the Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant titles of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of certain services related to overweight and obesity, including diet and exercise counseling, medical nutrition therapy services, and weight and body mass index (BMI) measurement and monitoring.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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