CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Lawmakers are reviewing a bill that would define obesity as a chronic disease and require an annual report about what's being done to fight it in Nevada.
Democratic Sen. Mo Denis is sponsoring SB402, which was discussed Monday in the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee. It already passed the Senate in a 20-1 vote.
The bill would create a specific definition of obesity in state law that's based on body mass index, body fat percentage or waist size.
Supporters say the bill will help Nevada apply for chronic disease prevention grants to combat obesity, and will empower people to approach obesity as a treatable medical condition rather than a personal weakness.
A proposed amendment would allow Nevada to continue collecting height and weight data for schoolchildren for research purposes.