OCAN Letter to House HHS Appropriations Regarding the Proposed Elimination of DNPAO
The Honorable Robert Aderholt
Chair
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services, Education, and
Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
June 17, 2025
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services, Education, and
Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chair Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro:
We are writing to express our concern with President Trump’s proposed discretionary budget for the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2026. The budget would eliminate the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
The elimination of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) would be detrimental to the public health infrastructure and would undermine the administration’s objective of reducing chronic disease in the U.S. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion oversees the operation of nine chronic disease divisions including the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO). DNPAO focuses on obesity prevention and treatment through identification and implementation of evidence-based interventions, quality standards, and epidemiologic surveillance of chronic diseases.
DNPAO is critical to addressing obesity disease prevention and treatment. Good nutrition and adequate physical activity improve health across the lifespan by supporting optimal growth and development in children, reducing the possibility of developing costly chronic diseases that can increase premature mortality. Yet, few Americans meet recommendations for a healthy diet or adequate physical activity, and many suffer chronic diseases and related health consequences.
DNPAO provides national guidance, training, and data tools that millions of health professionals rely on. Below are some of the many programs, research, and data that DNPAO supports that would be eliminated if DNPAO was no longer funded:
CDC growth charts. DNPAO implements and disseminates the CDC growth charts used by pediatricians at every visit to track all children’s growth over time and help kids grow up healthy. Tracking growth is an essential part of every well-child visit that can provide an early warning if a child has a medical problem.
The CDC BMI Calculators. The BMI Calculator is one of the most trusted CDC tools, used by more than 1 million individuals every month. Without it, the US will lose a simple and cost-effective way to assess health risk—making it harder to take action before serious problems develop.
Annual Obesity Maps. DNPAO’s annual obesity maps help the U.S. track the burden of obesity as a disease over time. These maps track obesity prevalence, associated health problems and the cost to individuals, families and the health care system. Many states rely solely on this data to describe the burden of obesity and inform decision-making. Without the obesity prevalence data, states, healthcare providers, and others would lose a trusted tool to see where and how the obesity problem is growing—and how to respond.
Access to nutritious food for infants and children. DNPAO funding provides access to:
produce prescription programs that give patients free or discounted fruits and vegetables to manage their health;
programs that provide childcare centers with fresh food grown by local farmers; and
breastfeeding support in hospitals for mothers and infants, a practice that prevents serious infections, asthma, and obesity.
Proven prevention and lifestyle programs. DNPAO funding provides support for:
Family Healthy Weight Programs, a proven chronic disease prevention and lifestyle program for millions of kids with excess weight. This includes a national list of effective family lifestyle prevention programs that are readily available for healthcare providers to refer patients to and payers to cover. DNPAO funds state and local programs across the U.S. to implement the family health weight programs. These funds would be lost and programs ended.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to run, sustain, and improve obesity prevention programs that make a real difference in people’s lives. Without this support, healthcare providers in FQHCs would lose critical infrastructure to provide evidence-based obesity prevention programs. FQHCs play a vital role in providing healthcare to children and older adults and support evidence-based health promotion programs. They are seen as “safety net providers”, responsible for getting care to the nation’s most vulnerable populations.
State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN), High Obesity Program (HOP) and Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), all programs to reduce the risk of chronic disease. In 2023, CDC funded 17 states, 50 communities and tribal organizations, and 16 land grant universities through these three programs, which focus on proven strategies to improve nutrition and physical activity, reduce health disparities, and advance the nation’s chronic disease prevention efforts.
Obesity rates will continue to rise. The Administration’s goal of reducing chronic disease by improving and increasing physical activity and nutrition will be thwarted without the work of DNPAO. 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. DNPAO must remain intact as part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Sincerely,
A Philip Randolph Institute
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Advocacy Action Network
Advocates for Better Children's Diets
Advocates for Responsible Care
Alliance for Women's Health and Prevention
American Academy of Physician Associates
American Association of Clinical Endocrinology
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
American Diabetes Association
American Diabetes Association/ Obesity Association
American Gastroenterological Association
American Kidney Fund
American Liver Foundation
American Medical Women's Association
American Psychological Association Services
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
American Society for Nutrition
American Society for Preventive Cardiology
American Society on Aging
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
ARCH Community Health Coalition
Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists
Association of State Public Health Nutritionists
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Better Living Fitness
Boys & Girls Club of Richland County
California Chronic Care Coalition
Cancer Council of the Pacific Islands
CancerCare
Caregiver Action Network
Caring Ambassadors Program
Center for Patient Advocacy Leader
Center for Wellness and Nutrition
Chess Solutions Group
Choose Healthy Life
Choose Healthy Life
Christian Council of Delmarva
Chronic Care Policy Alliance
Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
Color of Gastrointestinal Illnesses
Colorado Gynecologic Cancer Alliance
Colorado Obesity Society
Common Threads
Conscienhealth
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
Diabetes Leadership Council
Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition
Endocrine Society
Fatty Liver Foundation
Field & Fork Network
Florida Osteopathic Medical Association
Gaining Health
Gerontological Society of America
Get Healthy Utah
Global Healthy Living Foundation
Global Liver Institute
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities
Grow Portland
Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids
Healthy Redesign
Healthy Savannah
HealthyWomen
Heathy Food America
International Cancer Advocacy Network
Illinois Food Justice Alliance
Illinois Public Health Association
Kentucky Association of School Administrators
Kentucky Voices for Health
La Leche League Alliance
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Liver Coalition of San Diego
Looms for Lupus
Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
Maine Farm & Sea to Institution
MANA, A National Latina Organization
Mental Health Association in New York State
Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Missouri Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Missouri Psychological Association
MoKan Weight Loss and Metabolic Health LLC
Movement is Life
NAHN NY CHAPTER
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Black Nurses Association
National Consumers League
National Council on Aging
National Hispanic Health Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
National Psoriasis Foundation
Nevada Chronic Care Collaborative
New Mexico Podiatric Medical Association
New York State Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics (NYSAND)
New York State Academy of Family Physicians
New York Statewide Breastfeeding Coalition (NYSBC)
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition
Nourish Colorado
Obesity Action Coalition
Obesity Care Advocacy Network
Obesity Medicine Association
Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology
Organization for Latino Health Advocacy
Pottstown Medical Specialists, Inc.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Project Roots
Raymond A. Wood Foundation
Roots of Life
Ruby A. Neeson Diabetes Awareness Foundation
Rx in Reach Georgia Coalition
San Antonio Obesity Society
Shoals Community Clinic
Society for Public Health Education
Society for Women's Health Research
Society of Behavioral Medicine
STOP Obesity Alliance
Texas Academy of Family Physicians
The Center for Science in the Public Interest
The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM)
The Mended Hearts, Inc.
The Obesity Society
The Ohio Kentucky Chapter of the ASMBS
Tri-County Community Action Teams
Trust for America's Health
University of Kentucky, Department of Integrated Strategic Communication
Weigh to Wellness Denver
Western Colorado Weight Care
Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards
Wisconsin Public Health Association
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
Wound Care Clinic - ESU
YMCA of the USA
Zuckerman Family Center for Prevention & Health Promotion