S.C.R. 1 Enrolled

1

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING OBESITY
2 AWARENESS
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: D. Chris Buttars
6 House Sponsor: Paul Ray
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor designates Obesity
11 Awareness Month in Utah and urges obesity education and prevention.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . designates April 2008 as Obesity Awareness Month in the state; and
15 . urges healthcare suppliers, communities, businesses, and schools throughout the
16 state to develop awareness campaigns and voluntary programs that focus on obesity
17 and its prevention.
18 Special Clauses:
19 None
20
21 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
22 WHEREAS, Utah's leaders have a responsibility to encourage and promote healthy
23 lifestyles for the citizens of this state, including communicating information about healthy diet,
24 the importance of physical activity, and the availability of clinical treatment;
25 WHEREAS, in recent years poor health, in the form of obesity and inactivity, has
26 increased dramatically throughout the world;
27 WHEREAS, more than half of all American adults are overweight, representing
28 approximately 69 million people;
29 WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control, in the year 2000,

30 approximately 19.8% of adults in the U.S. were classified as "obese," an increase of 61% since
31 1991;
32 WHEREAS, only 22% of American adults get recommended regular physical activity of
33 any intensity during leisure time, and only 15% get the recommended amount of vigorous
34 activity;
35 WHEREAS, obesity can lead to a 50% - 100% increase in risk of death to an individual
36 from all causes;
37 WHEREAS, over 280,000 Americans die each year from obesity-related diseases;
38 WHEREAS, 15% of all children and adolescents are now overweight, nearly double
39 what it was two decades ago;
40 WHEREAS, in 1980, fewer than 4% of childhood diabetes cases were Type 2 Diabetes,
41 but that number has since risen to approximately 20%, and of the children diagnosed with Type
42 2 Diabetes, 85% are obese;
43 WHEREAS, because the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes has tripled in the last 30 years,
44 more people will live with diabetes longer, with greater chances of developing disabling,
45 life-threatening complications from diabetes;
46 WHEREAS, the direct costs of inactivity and obesity account for approximately 9.4% of
47 national health care expenditures, with costs reaching at least 39.3 billion dollars; and
48 WHEREAS, citizens will be made more aware of the growing problems related to
49 obesity and inactivity if given pertinent information, and if good examples are set by leaders in
50 the community:
51 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
52 Governor concurring therein, designate the month of April 2008 as Obesity Awareness Month
53 in the state of Utah.
54 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge healthcare
55 suppliers, communities, businesses, and schools throughout the state to develop obesity
56 awareness campaigns and voluntary programs appropriate to their settings which focus on the
57 causes of obesity, the symptoms and long-term consequences associated with obesity, healthy

58 alternative food choices, and appropriate physical fitness programs for weight control and
59 clinical surgical options to decrease coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and to
60 improve lifestyle.
61 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to each of Utah's
62 Chambers of Commerce, the Utah State Board of Education, the Utah State Board of Regents,
63 and the Utah League of Cities and Towns.