[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 996 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 996

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                          May 20, 2010.
Whereas during the past four decades, obesity rates have soared among all age 
        groups, increasing more than fourfold among children ages 6 to 11;
Whereas 31.8 percent or 23,000,000 children and teenagers ages 2 to 19 are obese 
        or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an 
        epidemic;
Whereas significant disparities exist among the obesity rates of children based 
        on race and poverty; for example on average 38 percent of Mexican-
        American children and 34.9 percent of African-American children ages 2 
        to 19 are overweight or obese, compared with 30.7 percent of White 
        children and 39.5 percent of low-income American Indian and Alaska 
        Native children ages 2 to 5;
Whereas the financial implications of childhood obesity pose a financial threat 
        to our economy and health care system, carrying up to $14,000,000,000 
        per year in direct health care cost, with people in the United States 
        spending about 9 percent of their total medical costs on obesity-related 
        illnesses;
Whereas obese young people have an 80 percent chance of being obese adults and 
        are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or 
        obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health 
        problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, stroke, 
        several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis;
Whereas in part due to the childhood obesity epidemic, 1 in 3 children (and 
        nearly 1 in 2 minority children) born in the year 2000 will develop type 
        2 diabetes at some point in their lifetime if current trends continue;
Whereas some consequences of childhood and adolescent obesity are psychosocial 
        and can hinder academic and social functioning and persist into 
        adulthood;
Whereas participating in physical activity is important for children and teens 
        as it may have beneficial effects not only on body weight, but also on 
        blood pressure and bone strength;
Whereas proper nutrition is important for children before birth and through 
        their life span as nutrition has beneficial effects for health and body 
        weight, and is important in the prevention of various chronic diseases;
Whereas childhood obesity is preventable, yet does not appear to be declining;
Whereas public, community-based, and private sector organizations and 
        individuals throughout the United States, including First Lady Michelle 
        Obama, are working to decrease childhood obesity rates for people in the 
        United States of all races through a range of efforts, including 
        educational presentations, media campaigns, Web sites, policies, 
        healthier food options, and greater opportunities for physical activity; 
        and
Whereas America on the Move, American Beverage Association, American College of 
        Sports Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic 
        Association, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, 
        American Medical Group Association, American Sleep Apnea Association, 
        American Society of Bariatric Physicians, American Society for Metabolic 
        and Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, American Society 
        of Landscape Architects, Amerinet, BET Foundation, Black Leadership 
        Forum, Black Women's Health Imperative, Campaign to End Obesity, Canyon 
        Ranch Institute, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Children's 
        Health Fund, Children's National Medical Center, Children Now, COSHAR 
        Foundation, First Focus, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Healthcare 
        Leadership Council, HealthCorps, Healthways, International, Health, 
        Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, Medical Fitness Association, NAACP, 
        National Association of Children's Hospitals, National Association of 
        Chronic Disease Directors, National Association of School Nurses, 
        National Association for Sport and Physical Education, National Black 
        Nurses Association, National Collaboration for Youth, National Congress 
        of Black Women, Inc., National Council of Urban Indian Health, National 
        Family Caregivers Association, National Football League, National 
        Football League Players Association, National Indian Health Board, 
        National Latina Health Network, National League of Cities, National 
        Medical Association, National Recreation and Park Association, Nemours, 
        Obesity Action Coalition, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 
        Partnership for Prevention, PepsiCo, Richard Simmons' Ask America PE 
        Crusade, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, ShapeUp America!, 
        STOP Obesity Alliance, The Coca-Cola Company, The Obesity Society, Trust 
        for America's Health, United Fresh Produce Association, United Way, 
        University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, U.S. 
        Conference of Mayors, U.S. Preventive Medicine, Inc., Voices for 
        America's Children, YMCA of the USA, YWCA USA, and other organizations 
        support the designation of September as National Childhood Obesity 
        Awareness Month to educate the public about the need for increased 
        education and proactive steps to prevent childhood obesity in the United 
        States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National Childhood Obesity Awareness 
        Month to raise public awareness and mobilize the country to address 
        childhood obesity;
            (2) recognizes the importance of preventing childhood obesity and 
        decreasing its prevalence in the United States; and
            (3) requests that the President encourage the Federal Government, 
        States, tribes and tribal organizations, localities, schools, nonprofit 
        organizations, businesses, other entities, and the people of the United 
        States to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities 
        with the goal of promoting healthy eating and physical activity and 
        increasing awareness of childhood obesity among individuals of all ages 
        and walks of life.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.