To direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to treat obesity as a disease and reduce the prevalence of obesity in certain Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a formal strategy to treat obesity as a medically recognized disease within the Department of Defense (DoD) and to reduce obesity prevalence in the covered Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force). It requires an educational campaign to promote diagnosing and treating obesity as a disease, a coordinated and updated set of DoD programs, and an assessment of nutrition education for military health providers. The Secretary must consult with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as appropriate. The bill also imposes reporting requirements, including incorporating information on unmet weight standards in enlistment/discharge reports, and it calls for GAO analysis and multiple DoD reports on obesity’s impact on readiness and program effectiveness. The core idea is to reframe obesity as a disease, align DoD programs accordingly, educate personnel and clinicians, and improve readiness by reducing obesity.
Key Points
- 1Strategy and educational campaign within one year: The Secretary must develop a strategy to classify obesity as a disease and align DoD obesity programs accordingly, plus an educational campaign for service members and health care providers.
- 2Program coordination and provider education: The strategy must coordinate DoD programs, assess existing obesity-related education/prevention/treatment efforts, and plan updates; also assess nutrition education for military health providers and address gaps.
- 3Consultation with DHHS: The Secretary must consult with DHHS (including CMS) and other appropriate agencies in developing the strategy and campaign.
- 4Reporting and transparency requirements: Beginning within one year, DoD must include information on unmet weight standards in reports to Congress about enlistment disqualifications, disability, and medical discharges; there are additional annual reporting duties on the effectiveness of obesity, food, and nutrition programs, and a one-time GAO analysis.
- 5Definitions and scope: “Covered Armed Force” includes the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force; the bill specifies which congressional committees are involved and sets measurable timeframes for actions.