Government Funding For Obesity

A 2008 Center for Disease Control (CDC) report finds that 49 states have obesity rates at 20 percent or greater. As obesity becomes a major health concern in the United States, various forms of government funding have been directed to address the issue.

Prevention

• Federal funded programs have made prevention a central issue in their campaign against obesity. Government funding is directed to programs that encourage healthy lifestyles by promoting physical activity and providing education on a healthy diet.

Types

• Some types of obesity funding include a formula or block grant, which provides a fixed amount to states, with great flexibility in determining the use of the funds. Discretionary or project grants address a single issue, such as obesity, and are available for a limited time frame. Cooperative agreements include a great deal of oversight from a federal agency.

Implementation

• President Obama's economic stimulus plan of 2009 increased state funds to target the obesity epidemic. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced that part of the 2010 Health Care Reform Bill will add produce to school lunches, support grocery stores that sell produce in poor neighborhoods, and invest money in the CDC to fund initiatives that fight obesity.