WASHINGTON – Last week 22 groups, as part of the Campaign to End Obesity Action Fund, sent a letter to congressional leaders of tax-writing committees urging them to support tax policy solutions that will curb obesity and improve access to resources –grocery stores, safe recreational spaces and other infrastructure – that they say are needed to increase healthy living and curb obesity.

Specifically, the groups urged policymakers to support new tax measures that will:

• Spur private interests to increase access to healthy, affordable foods in economically disadvantaged communities;
• Yield increased access by these communities to safe recreational spaces;
• Support economically disadvantaged individuals for their efforts to adopt lifestyle choices that are likely to reverse or prevent obesity and other chronic diseases, as well as businesses that invest in tools and resources for these consumers to effect such choices; and
• Be targeted to benefit those individuals and communities most at risk for obesity and other chronic diseases.

"Traditionally, the tax code has been used to incent social and economic outcomes.  If one of the single greatest expenses in the U.S. health care budget is the rising cost of obesity, we should consider thoughtful measures that will help the nation address this epidemic and reduce the associated costs to taxpayers," said Stephanie Silverman, co-founder of the Campaign to End Obesity Action Fund.  "We must begin in the communities where obesity rates are highest, and resources are most scarce."