SR0147enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

09400SR0147 Enrolled LRB094 11972 BDD 44873 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Obesity is caused by multiple factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors; and

WHEREAS, Obesity ranks second only to smoking as a preventable cause of death; and

WHEREAS, Great concern has also been expressed regarding the effect that obesity in children may have on their overall health, health care costs, and treatment; and

WHEREAS, A causal relationship exists between obesity and a number of serious disorders, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, respiratory dysfunction, gout, and osteoarthritis; and

WHEREAS, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides information that indicates that nearly 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese, and the incidence of symptomatic gallstones soars as a person's body mass index increases beyond a certain level; and

WHEREAS, The information also reveals that nearly 70% of diagnosed cases of cardiovascular disease are related to obesity, obesity more than doubles a person's chances of developing high blood pressure, almost one-half of breast cancer cases are diagnosed among obese women, and 42% of colon cancer cases occur among obese individuals; and

WHEREAS, There is an urgent need for State health care groups and medical societies to place obesity at the top of Illinois' health care agenda; and

WHEREAS, The National Institutes of Health, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, and the American Obesity Association recommend that patients who are morbidly obese receive responsible, affordable medical treatment for their obesity; and

WHEREAS, The diagnosis of morbid obesity should be a clinical decision made by a physician based on proper medical protocols; and

WHEREAS, The recent breakthroughs in drug therapy can treat obesity successfully, and the New England Journal of Medicine has emphasized the legitimate use of pharmacotherapy as a component of treatment of medically significant obesity; and

WHEREAS, The breakthroughs in obesity treatment are not widely known and efforts must be made to inform the general public and health care professionals that pharmacotherapy can be used as an effective and cost-efficient treatment for obesity; and

WHEREAS, It is critical to raise the awareness of the public and private sectors that obesity is a problem of epidemic proportions that is treatable and that proper treatment will reduce health care costs and improve the quality of life for a large number of our citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Senate acknowledges obesity as a growing epidemic and encourages improvement in awareness and treatment of the problems of obesity; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the medical community and the Illinois Department of Public Health commit to combating obesity through a myriad of tools deemed appropriate for the individual, including, but not limited to, nutrition education, pharmacotherapy, and exercise; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly designates the month of September 2005 as Obesity Awareness Month.