[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1244 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1244

    Resolving to address the costly obesity epidemic by identifying 
    opportunities to increase access to and promotion of nutrition, 
     physical activity, and health care in all of Congress's work.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 5, 2008

 Mr. Blumenauer (for himself, Mr. Kind, and Mr. Porter) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Resolving to address the costly obesity epidemic by identifying 
    opportunities to increase access to and promotion of nutrition, 
     physical activity, and health care in all of Congress's work.

Whereas the percentage of United States adults classified as having obesity 
        doubled between 1980 and 2000, from 15 percent to 31 percent;
Whereas according to projections, 3 out of 4 American adults could suffer from 
        being overweight or obese by 2008;
Whereas over the past 20 years, the proportion of overweight children ages 6 
        through 11 has more than doubled and the rate for adolescents ages 12 
        through 19 has tripled;
Whereas according to the most recent Department of Health and Human Services 
        data, the total cost of obesity in the United States is over 
        $117,000,000,000 each year;
Whereas a 2008 report by the Conference Board concluded that obesity is costing 
        United States companies as much as $45,000,000,000 a year in medical 
        expenditures and work loss;
Whereas people with obesity have higher health care utilization rates of 36 
        percent higher inpatient and outpatient spending, 77 percent higher 
        medication spending, 45 percent more inpatient days, 48 percent more 
        expenditures over $5,000, and 11 percent higher annual health care cost;
Whereas people with obesity are at increased risk for many of the most costly 
        and debilitating chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart 
        disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, 
        gastro-esophageal reflux disease, respiratory problems, stroke, 
        endometrial, breast, prostate cancer, colon cancers, poor female 
        reproductive health, depression, and many others;
Whereas the obesity epidemic is a complex problem with no one villain or 
        solution and will require a wide range of policy, environmental, 
        cultural, and personal changes to reverse; and
Whereas the majority of the Federal Government's work, from agriculture to 
        education to transportation to labor to healthcare to tax policy, has 
        implications on America's nutrition, physical activity, health literacy, 
        and health delivery system: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the urgency and complexity of the obesity 
        epidemic;
            (2) commends the ``Campaign to End Obesity'' and its 
        advising organizations for their identification of actionable 
        steps that Congress can take toward reversing the epidemic; and
            (3) commits to considering opportunities for addressing the 
        obesity epidemic such as improving nutrition, increasing 
        physical activity, and expanding access to care in all major 
        legislative action.
                                 <all>