Momentum Builds to Confront Child Obesity

Legislative momentum continues to build at the federal and state levels to tackle childhood obesity.

Last week, a Senate hearing was held to discuss the proposed Childhood Obesity Reduction Act, which would establish a congressional council on childhood obesity to help schools craft better nutritional policies. The $2.2 million bill would also set up an independent foundation to award obesity-prevention grants to schools and other organizations.

Just a week earlier, the Washington-based National Academies’ Institute of Medicine released a report concluding that ending childhood obesity would require a long-term commitment by the federal government, schools, communities, and...