# What This Bill Does

This bill asks the Department of Defense to treat obesity as a medical disease rather than just a fitness issue, and to create a comprehensive plan to address it across the military. Right now, the military often treats weight problems as a disciplinary or readiness matter, but this bill wants the Pentagon to approach it the same way doctors treat other diseases—with medical treatment, education, and support.

The Secretary of Defense has one year to develop a strategy that coordinates all obesity-related programs across the military and launch an educational campaign. This campaign would teach soldiers, sailors, and airmen about preventing and managing obesity, while also training military doctors and health providers to diagnose and treat obesity as a disease rather than a personal failure. The bill also requires the military to assess whether current health programs are actually working and to update them if they're not effective.

The bill creates several reporting requirements to track progress. The Pentagon must report to Congress about how obesity affects military readiness and whether current programs are reducing obesity rates. An independent government auditor (the GAO) will also review all military obesity and nutrition programs to see what's working and what needs improvement. Additionally, when the military reports on why people are disqualified from enlisting or medically discharged, they'll now have to include information about weight standards not being met.

Essentially, this is about shifting how the military thinks about and handles obesity—moving from a punishment-based approach to a medical treatment approach, similar to how the military handles other health conditions. The goal is to help service members get healthier while also improving overall military readiness.

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.

Buchanan, Vern

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop a strategy to align its obesity-related programs with the classification of obesity as a medically accepted disease. Additionally, DOD must conduct an educational campaign to promote awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity as a disease in the Armed Forces (the&nbsp;Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force).The bill also requires DOD to include information regarding unmet weight standards in any reports it submits to Congress regarding&nbsp;disqualifications for enlistment in, disabilities incurred in, or medical discharges from the Armed Forces.DOD must submit a report to Congress on the effects of obesity on the readiness of the Armed Forces, including legislative recommendations to address such effects. The Defense Health Agency within DOD must report on the effectiveness of the obesity, food, and nutrition-related programs of DOD in reducing obesity and improving military readiness.The Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress an analysis of the existing obesity, food, and nutrition-related programs of DOD.