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79R14470 MMS-D

By:  Rose                                                       H.C.R. No. 168



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, Obesity levels have been climbing dramatically in 
the United States over the last decade, and in Texas, obesity rates 
exceed the national average; and
	WHEREAS, Texas cities currently hold five of the top 15 spots 
in the list of America's Fattest Cities, and if trends continue, the 
present situation will only worsen; research indicates that 40 
percent of fourth-graders in the state are already overweight; and
	WHEREAS, Rising levels of obesity lead to increased rates of 
disease and disability; a person who is obese is much more likely 
than a person of normal weight to suffer from diabetes, high blood 
pressure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, 
coronary heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer; and
	WHEREAS, The State of Texas currently spends at least $10 
billion annually to treat illnesses related to obesity, and it has 
been estimated that expenditures could rise to $40 billion a year if 
the obesity epidemic is not addressed; and
	WHEREAS, For individuals, the costs of obesity are also high; 
persons with obesity face yearly health expenses that are 
approximately 40 percent higher than those of people having normal 
weight, and workers who suffer from obesity lose twice as many days 
to sickness; and
	WHEREAS, Prevention is the ideal means for countering 
obesity, and an understanding of the role of physical activity and 
good nutrition in promoting healthy weight management is vitally 
important; and
	WHEREAS, When such traditional treatments as diet, exercise, 
behavior modification, and drug therapy fail, surgical treatment 
can be a medically reasonable option for many patients; weight-loss 
surgery is costly and carries appreciable risk, but for many 
individuals with severe obesity, the continued failure to lose 
weight poses an even greater threat; and
	WHEREAS, Obesity constitutes a major health concern in the 
Lone Star State, and comprehensive efforts are needed to combat 
this difficult, costly challenge; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby encourage all Texans to become informed about the risks 
associated with obesity and with the full range of prevention and 
treatment strategies.