[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 129 (Thursday, September 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HYPERTENSION AND HELP 
              REVERSE ITS PREVALENCE IN THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 2010

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
resolution that seeks to raise hypertension awareness and help reverse 
its prevalence in our nation through education, further research, and 
efforts to reduce the excess salt content in our food. Hypertension, 
also known as high blood pressure, is the most commonly diagnosed 
chronic health condition in the United States, disproportionately 
affecting the Southeast and African Americans.
  High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and 
stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United 
States, as well as congestive heart failure and kidney disease. 
Approximately one out of three adults (74.5 million people) in the 
United States is hypertensive. Furthermore, about one in four adults is 
pre-hypertensive, which means that they are at greater risk for 
developing hypertension. Hypertension is directly and indirectly 
responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each 
year, and its prevalence is expected to grow due to a large aging 
population and high rates of obesity and diabetes.
  Hypertension is called the ``silent killer'' because there are often 
no symptoms that indicate that an individual's blood pressure has 
reached a deadly level. Sadly, more than one out of five individuals is 
unaware that they have high blood pressure. African Americans have the 
highest prevalence of hypertension in the United States, and are more 
likely to develop it at earlier ages, develop cardiovascular morbidity 
and disability, and die from hypertension or hypertension-related 
illnesses. Furthermore, Hispanics often have low levels of hypertension 
awareness, treatment, and control. Fortunately, through education, 
healthy lifestyle habits, advances in medical science, research, and 
smart health care policy, we can begin to reverse these alarming 
trends.
  In particular, addressing high sodium (salt) intake can decrease 
one's risk for developing high blood pressure. The average person in 
the United States consumes almost 1.5 times the daily maximum value of 
salt established by the Department of Health and Human Services. 
According to a study by the American Medical Association, 150,000 lives 
could be saved each year if the sodium content in processed foods and 
restaurant foods were decreased by 50 percent. In addition, we must 
improve access to affordable, healthy foods for all Americans as well 
as nutrition labeling to ensure that consumers have the information 
they need to make informed decisions about their food purchases.
  My resolution encourages all individuals to take control of their 
health by becoming knowledgeable of their blood pressure as well as 
their risk for hypertension. Furthermore, it supports community-based 
programs that use culturally competent and evidence-based strategies to 
address hypertension; recognizes the importance of linking hypertension 
awareness programs to other existing programs that address health 
conditions such as obesity and diabetes; and supports further research 
that provides a better understanding of how hypertension 
disproportionately affects different communities. Finally, my 
resolution calls for the Food and Drug Administration to set mandatory 
national standards, including improved nutrition labeling, for the 
sodium content in foods, especially those sold in grocery stores and 
served in schools and restaurants.
  Madam Speaker, health care providers, patients, communities, 
governmental entities, the food industry, and health-focused 
organizations must work together to raise awareness about high blood 
pressure and to develop sustainable solutions for prevention, 
treatment, and control. I remain committed to supporting national, 
state, and community efforts to address potentially deadly health 
conditions like hypertension and to combating health disparities.

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