2015 Senate Joint Resolution 20
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: proclaiming September 2015 as Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.
Whereas, obesity has seen a dramatic increase in the United States from 1990 through 2010, and is a serious health risk that we need to take action against today; and
Whereas, more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese, which equals 78.6 million Americans; and
Whereas, in 2012, 29.7 percent of adults in Wisconsin were considered obese, making us the 15th most obese state in the nation; and
Whereas, obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer, which are some of the leading causes of preventable death; and
Whereas, not only are these conditions dangerous, they are also costly, with an estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States of about $147 billion in 2008, and with the medical costs of those who are obese approximately $1,429 higher than those of normal weight; and
Whereas, in Wisconsin there are currently 470,136 cases of diabetes, 1,130,359 cases of hypertension, 347,847 cases of heart disease, 1,124,133 cases of arthritis, and 89,046 cases of obesity-related cancer; and
Whereas, although these numbers are shocking and dramatic, they also give a glimpse at the true havoc obesity can cause on men's and women's bodies; and
Whereas, one of the first steps in reducing our nation's obesity crisis is educating children about the risks of obesity and leading them toward a healthy lifestyle; and
Whereas, it is important to educate our citizens about obesity-prevention and control programs, so as to ensure that they are eating healthy and spending time getting active and getting their heart rate up, which are two surefire ways to control and prevent obesity among youths and adults; and
Whereas, we must do all that we can to ensure that the rate of obesity starts to decline in order to prevent health risks; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the legislature hereby proclaims September 2015 as Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in Wisconsin.
