135+ GROUPS CALL ON CONGRESS TO STOP ELIMINATION OF CDC’S CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION DIVISION FOR NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND OBESITY
135+ GROUPS CALL ON CONGRESS TO STOP ELIMINATION OF CDC’S CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION DIVISION FOR NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND OBESITY
Amid Rising Obesity Rates, Letter Urges House and Senate Appropriations Committees to Ensure Continuation of Critical Obesity Prevention Programs
June 17, 2025
Washington, DC—Today, the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN), alongside 135 organizations, submitted a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership urging them to reject President Trump’s proposed 2026 discretionary budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which calls for the elimination of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).
The letter emphasizes that eliminating the NCCDPHP—and particularly its Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO)—would undermine national efforts to prevent and manage obesity and other chronic diseases. These divisions provide the backbone for many critical, evidence-based public health initiatives that serve millions of Americans.
Below are some of the many programs, research, and data that DNPAO supports that would be eliminated if the DNPAO was no longer funded:
CDC growth charts, used by pediatricians at every visit to track all children’s growth over time and help kids grow up healthy.
CDC BMI Calculators, one of the most trusted CDC tools, used by more than 1 million individuals every month.
Proven prevention and lifestyle programs, including Family Healthy Weight Programs.
Annual Obesity Maps, that help the U.S. track the burden of obesity as a disease over time.
Access to nutritious food for infants and children.
Excerpt from the letter:
“Without the work of the DNPAO, obesity rates will continue to rise and the Administration’s goal of reducing chronic disease by improving and increasing physical activity and nutrition will be thwarted. We strongly encourage you to ensure that the HHS budget for 2026 includes the continuation of DNPAO programs and data. These programs are evidence-based and vital to the health of the nation. Given the administration’s focus on addressing chronic diseases, we need these programs now more than ever. The DNPAO must remain intact as part of the Department of Health and Human Services.”
Read the full letter to the Senate here:
https://obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com/news/ocan-letter-to-senate-hhs-appropriations-regarding-the-proposed-elimination-of-dnpao
Read the full letter to the House here:
https://obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com/news/ocan-letter-to-house-hhs-appropriations-regarding-the-proposed-elimination-of-dnpao
About OCAN
The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) is a diverse group of organizations who have come together to change how the nation perceives and approaches our country’s obesity epidemic by educating and advocating for public policies and increased funding for obesity education, research, treatment, and care.
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