Lawmakers See Need for New Federal Programs To Fight Obesity

Fat chance

MADISON – Look out Obese America!

You have assumed from smokers the mantle of Public Health Enemy No. 1, this time in the federal fight against fat and the bottom line.

Of course, federal lawmakers are coming after the nation's overweight to save them — from themselves — and they apparently want to spend a lot of money on this rescue operation.

Just how much isn't yet clear.

This week, a bipartisan group of U.S. representatives, including Wisconsin western district Congressman Ron Kind, introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, which would give Medicare beneficiaries and their health-care providers "additional tools" to treat and reduce obesity.