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78R8274 MMS-D

By:  Capelo                                                     H.C.R. No. 99 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, March 2003 is being celebrated throughout the United 
States as National Nutrition Month, and this observance is being 
sponsored by the National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics of the 
American Dietetic Association and its foundation; and
	WHEREAS, Intended to focus public attention on the importance 
of developing sound eating and exercise habits, designation of the 
month is part of an effort by health professionals to reverse an 
alarming upward trend in the percentage of children, adolescents, 
and adults who are overweight or obese; between 1980 and 1999, the 
number of overweight children doubled, while the number of 
overweight adolescents tripled; today, approximately two-thirds of 
adults are either overweight or obese; and
	WHEREAS, Nationwide, it is estimated that poor dietary 
choices and lack of exercise account for more than 300,000 deaths a 
year, making those factors second only to tobacco as the leading 
preventable cause of death; numerous studies have documented the 
link between poor nutrition and such illnesses as cardiovascular 
diseases, respiratory system diseases, gall bladder disease, sleep 
apnea, and some types of cancer; and
	WHEREAS, A striking consequence of increased obesity in youth 
is the recent upsurge in the number of children and adolescents 
being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a disease traditionally known 
as "adult-onset diabetes"; the first report in a medical journal of 
an adolescent with type 2 diabetes occurred in 1979, and by 2002 a 
significant percentage of all childhood and adolescent cases of 
diabetes carried this diagnosis; and
	WHEREAS, The scale of the obesity epidemic is reflected in 
its economic costs; within Texas, the annual cost of 
hospitalizations related to obesity is calculated to range from 
$700 million to $1.1 billion, while the overall costs of obesity may 
reach upward of $4 billion; in 2000, the costs of obesity to the 
nation amounted to $117 billion; and
	WHEREAS, Good nutrition and adequate exercise play a crucial 
role in maintaining one's health and adding to the quality of one's 
life, and their benefits are felt throughout the whole of society;  
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby recognize March 2003 as National Nutrition Month in Texas 
and encourage all Texans to support the objectives of this 
important campaign.