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H.J.R. 11

             1     

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING SCHOOLS TO

             2     
ADOPT NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL

             3     
ACTIVITY POLICIES

             4     
2005 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Sponsor: Patricia W. Jones

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This joint resolution of the Legislature urges the development of wellness policies to
             11      reduce obesity in children and adolescents.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This resolution:
             14          .    urges that schools, school districts, health care providers, community-based
             15      organizations, businesses, and families work with the Legislature to establish
             16      comprehensive wellness policies to help prevent and reduce the prevalence of
             17      overweight children and adolescents.
             18      Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20     
             21      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             22          WHEREAS, Action for Healthy Kids is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving
             23      the health and educational performances of children through better nutrition and physical
             24      activity in schools;
             25          WHEREAS, this effort represents a response to the nation's epidemic of overweight,
             26      sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents;
             27          WHEREAS, the Utah Action for Healthy Kids has 11 local working partners who meet


             28      monthly to plan ways to improve nutrition and physical activity in Utah schools;
             29          WHEREAS, since 1980 the percentage of young people who are overweight has
             30      doubled, putting them at a greater risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer;
             31          WHEREAS, according to the Surgeon General, only half of adolescents regularly
             32      participate in vigorous physical activity and 25% report no physical activity;
             33          WHEREAS, one in every four Utah students from kindergarten to eighth grade is
             34      overweight or at risk of becoming overweight and there are enough overweight or at risk
             35      children in Utah to fill 124 elementary schools or 2,067 classrooms;
             36          WHEREAS, studies have shown that physically active students have more positive self
             37      esteem and lower levels of depression;
             38          WHEREAS, good health and nourishment also enhance performance on cognitive
             39      testing, and improved test scores are a result of participation in the school breakfast program;
             40          WHEREAS, the 2004 reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Program states that each
             41      school district participating in the National School Lunch Program shall establish a local
             42      wellness policy by 2006;
             43          WHEREAS, school-based efforts present a unique opportunity to provide children with
             44      the skills and support they need to adopt healthy, lifelong behaviors;
             45          WHEREAS, there is also an opportunity to engage students, school faculty, families,
             46      and communities in promoting healthy eating and regular physical activity;
             47          WHEREAS, Action for Healthy Kids recognizes the importance of wellness policies
             48      and has developed policy and program guidelines to assist schools and school districts as they
             49      create and evaluate their wellness policies; and
             50          WHEREAS, it is critical that physical activity requirements, standards, and programs in
             51      schools are strengthened, school and community partnerships that promote good nutrition are
             52      fostered, and nutrition policies and physical education programs are established:
             53          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
             54      urges that schools, school districts, health care providers, community-based organizations,
             55      businesses, and families work with the Legislature to establish comprehensive wellness
             56      policies to help prevent and reduce the prevalence of overweight children and adolescents.
             57          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
             58      Office of Education, the Utah Parent-Teachers Association, the Utah Chamber of Commerce,


             59      and the Utah Medical Association.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-19-05 9:37 AM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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