America's Growing Obesity Epidemic-Hon. Rosa L. Delauro

America's Growing Obesity Epidemic-Hon. Rosa L. Delauro (Extensions of Remarks - March 16, 2004)

HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

OF CONNECTICUT

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2004

Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, public health officials have been sounding an alarm in recent years about America's growing obesity epidemic. By 2000, almost two-thirds of adults were overweight or obese, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 40 percent of adults will be obese by 2010, if trends go unchanged. In the past 20 years, the percentage of children who are overweight has doubled from 7 to 15 percent, while the percentage of adolescents who are overweight has almost tripled.

Recent studies have found that more than 34 percent of adults are overweight, about 31 percent are obese, and both children and adults are consuming significantly more calories today than they did just 30 years ago.

The personal costs of this epidemic include shorter lifespan due to increases in heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some types of cancer and diabetes. The costs to society are immense and growing; CDC estimates that obesity-related medical costs reached a record total of $75 billion in 2003, $39 billion of which is borne by taxpayers via Medicare and Medicaid.

Among the best tools yet developed to fight obesity is the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (or EFNEP), which is operated by the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (or CSREES). Now celebrating its 35th year of service, EFNEP operates in nearly 800 counties in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. EFNEP's mission is to help low-income families and youth improve their diet quality and stretch their food dollar, skills which directly affect obesity. By making positive changes in individual and family behavior regarding healthy food choices, physical activity, and stretching the family food dollar, EFNEP participants can combat obesity and improve their health.

Studies show that people who are most "food insecure"-meaning those who are vulnerable to running out of food or missing meals because they cannot afford the cost-are disproportionately obese and overweight. EFNEP targets these very audiences: low-income youth and low-income families with young children. Through a series of lessons and activities, taught in peer-to-peer fashion by paraprofessionals and volunteers who come from the same populations the program is trying to reach, EFNEP relies on a tried-and-true learning process that brings about dramatic results.

Changes in diets to include more fruits and vegetables and dairy foods have been shown to lower the incidence of obesity and the risk of many chronic diseases. EFNEP has demonstrated remarkable success in increasing the consumption of these key foods. According to evaluation data, after participating in EFNEP, the adults consume 1.7 more servings of fruits and vegetables and a one-half additional serving of dairy foods, compared to their intake levels when they started EFNEP; 93 percent of the adult participants make a positive improvement in at least one food group.

Approximately 600,000 people each year-roughly 75 percent of them children-participate in the EFNEP program, gaining new skills in food preparation, shopping, storage, safety, and sanitation. They learn how to better manage their food budgets and related resources such as Food Stamps. Youth topics may also include fitness, avoidance of substance abuse and other health-related issues. EFNEP's hands-on, learn-by-doing approach allows the participants to acquire the practical skills necessary to make positive changes in behavior.

The results are clear and heartening. For example, EFNEP's evaluation and reporting system showed that among program graduates in 2002: 88 percent improved in nutrition practices such as making healthy food choices, reading nutrition labels and having children eat breakfast; 83 percent improved in food resource practices such as meal planning and budgeting; 67 percent improved in food safety practices such as storing and thawing foods correctly; 51 percent now offer five fruits and vegetables to their families each day; and 41 percent now routinely eat low-fat foods instead of fat-rich foods.

Studies in several states found that EFNEP is a solid investment of federal dollars. According to the studies, every dollar invested in EFNEP reduced health care costs by $10.64 in Virginia, $8.82 in a group of Midwestern states, $8.03 in Iowa, and $3.63 in Oregon.

In spite of these successes, the fiscal year 2004 Agriculture Appropriations bill reduced funding to 33 programs administered by CSREES by 10 percent each. EFNEP was one of those programs. Even in the short time since that appropriations bill was enacted in late January, we have already heard about the adverse impact the cuts are having on EFNEP. In community after community, extension offices are laying off EFNEP staff, thereby limiting the reach of the program. Just to offer a few examples, the 10 percent cuts to EFNEP mean that:

In Maryland 375 currently enrolled families will not be served, and another 3,000 eligible individuals will not receive nutrition education;

In Colorado bilingual nutrition education serving low-income Hispanic families will be cut by 400 people;

In Tennessee 14 staff positions must be cut, and EFNEP programs in seven counties will be lost, forcing a large reduction from the 3,600 persons served on average;

In Florida EFNEP youth contacts will be decreased by about 1,600 adult and 100 youth participants;

In Ohio EFNEP will suffer major staff cuts, which will force it to give up on many of the 7,000 parents and 21,000 youth it reaches every year;

In Michigan EFNEP will reach up to 600 fewer families;

And in my own state of Connecticut, 150 families and about 350 youth will not be served in both Hartford and Bridgeport, 2 of the 10 poorest cities in the country, as well as in Danbury, a city with many immigrant groups that are in need of nutrition education.

At a time when the need for EFNEP is greatest, financial support for the program from Congress has waned. This will only squander some of the significant gains EFNEP has already made in hundreds of communities around the country. And this penny-wise solution to short-term budget challenges will come back to haunt us in the long-run as the Federal Government's share of health costs-driven by the obesity epidemic-continue to rise.

With a relatively small investment, we can stem the tide of obesity in this country. That is why for 2005, I hope we can increase funding for this critical program. I respectfully urge my colleagues to seize this opportunity and do what is right.