The TRAO Act: Treating And Reducing Obesity Act

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Obesity is one of the fastest growing diseases in the world today with more than one-third of US adults and one-in-six US children considered obese, according to the Center for Disease Control (2014). Over the past few decades, obesity has more than doubled within the US, increasing from 15% of Americans in 1990 to over 36% of Americans in 2014 (CDC). Not only is obesity increasing rapidly within the US, but researchers have found that obesity is also more prevalent in ethnic minorities than in the general population, and is most common in people with Hispanic backgrounds. Obesity is also more prevalent in those with low incomes and in poorer countries (CDC, 2014). This stood out to me due to the fact that I come from a Hispanic background, …show more content…
The TRAO act is a bill that was recently introduced in 2015 in the United States House of Representatives. This act is designed, “To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the coordination of programs to prevent and treat obesity, and for other purposes” (Treat and Reduce Obesity Act 2015). In other words, this bill is a proposal to require Medicare to pay for obesity treatment and prevention. This bill takes a more formal approach to treating obesity than simply changing diet habits. Instead it calls for formal medical care, as well as …show more content…
The NFL, NBA, and MLB have all taken the initiative in reducing the number of obese people in the US. For instance, the NFL has created the “NFL Play 60” campaign that encourages children and parents to spend at least 60 minutes per day performing physical activity. The NBA and MLB have also created programs to raise awareness for the obesity epidemic, and have created foundations aimed at stopping it. Both these organizations have built sports facilities for communities across the United States to promote sports and exercise. This is another small step that has been taken to change the future of America and

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