SR0624 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0624 LRB097 20579 RPM 66209 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition are major risk factors for cancer, second only to tobacco use; approximately one third of U.S. (186,000) and Illinois (22,223) cancer deaths this year can be attributed to poor diet, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity; and

WHEREAS, Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for several common cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, kidney, endometrial, pancreatic, and postmenopausal breast cancers; research also suggests that overweight and obesity may also be associated with increased risk of liver, cervical, ovarian, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and aggressive prostate cancers; the biological link between overweight and obesity and cancer is believed to be related to multiple effects on fat and sugar metabolism, immune function, hormone levels and proteins that affect hormone levels, and other factors related to cell proliferation and growth; and

WHEREAS, National and Illinois adult overweight and obesity percentages are similar in that 2 out of 3 adults are overweight or obese; nationally, 31.6% of children ages 10 to 17 are considered to be overweight or obese; in Illinois, 34.9% of children ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese; and

WHEREAS, Overweight and obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of staying overweight or obese as they grow older; therefore, prevention of obesity is essential, beginning in childhood; and

WHEREAS, An American Cancer Society, Illinois Division mission priority is to reduce overweight and obesity rates in Illinois' youth by 25% by 2015; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends consuming a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods, in order to reduce cancer risks; recommendations include choosing foods and beverages in amounts that achieve and maintain a healthy weight, limiting consumption of processed and red meats, and consuming fruits and vegetables and whole grains instead of refined grain products; and

WHEREAS, Regular and intentional physical activity helps maintain a healthy body weight; independent of body weight, physical activity may also reduce the risk of breast, colon, endometrium, and advanced prostate cancer, and possibly pancreatic cancer; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week and that children and adolescents engage in at least one hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day; and

WHEREAS, Despite the evidence linking overweight and obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity to increased cancer risk, the majority of Illinoisans are not meeting nutrition and physical activity recommendations; social, economic, environmental, and cultural factors strongly influence individual choices about diet and physical activity; and

WHEREAS, Reversing obesity trends and reducing the associated cancer risk will require a broad range of strategies that include policy and environmental changes that make it easier for individuals to regularly make healthy diet and physical activity choices; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate September 2012 as Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in Illinois and encourage that the following be supported:

(1) policies aimed at increasing access to affordable healthy foods in communities, worksites, and schools, and decreasing access to and marketing of foods and beverages of low nutritional value, particularly to youth;

(2) changing school environments to promote health through a coordinated strategy addressing key components such as physical education, health education, nutrition services, staff wellness, and family and community involvement;

(3) daily, quality physical education for early childhood education programs and all students in grades K-12; physical education can be supplemented with additional school-based physical activity opportunities, such as recess, physical activity in the classroom, classroom breaks, intramural sports, and walk-to-school programs; and

(4) ensuring all users-pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities have safe access to a community's streets.