SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 173
         WHEREAS, The national Make America Healthy Again movement
  is raising awareness about the critical need to address rising
  chronic disease rates, poor nutrition, and declining physical
  and mental health through education and advocacy; and
         WHEREAS, The leading cause of mortality and disability in
  the United States, chronic diseases are attributed to more than 7
  out of 10 deaths among Americans per year, and over 75 percent of
  health care spending is related to the management of these
  conditions; between 2002 and 2022, total Medicaid spending in
  Texas increased by more than 300 percent, reflecting a
  substantial financial burden on our health care system; and
         WHEREAS, The rate of obesity in the U.S. skyrocketed from
  14.5 percent in 1971 to 42.8 percent in 2018; diagnosed cases of
  diabetes also surged from 1.6 million in 1958 to over 37 million
  in 2022, and a further 96 million Americans are estimated to have
  prediabetes; the sharp rise in obesity in the U.S. has coincided
  with the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods, which
  now account for more than half of all calories consumed by the
  average American; and
         WHEREAS, The vast majority of Americans fall short of
  metabolic health standards, with 93 percent of Americans failing
  to meet key markers; in addition, more than three-quarters of
  Americans do not engage in the recommended levels of physical
  activity, and the average adult spends over six hours per day
  sitting; and
         WHEREAS, Fertility rates in the U.S. have declined
  alongside other health measures, with the birth rate decreasing
  from around 3.7 children per woman in 1960 to around 1.6 children
  per woman in 2020; moreover, sperm counts have also seen an
  accelerated decline; and
         WHEREAS, The growing concerns around public health are not
  limited to physical ailments; between the early 1990s and 2018,
  antidepressant use multiplied fivefold among U.S. adults; from
  2011 to 2021, reports of high school students experiencing
  persistent sadness or hopelessness rose from 28 percent to 42
  percent, and reports of them seriously considering suicide
  climbed from 16 percent to 22 percent over that same time period;
  and
         WHEREAS, The state of public health in our country is a
  critical issue that impacts the lives of every Texan, but by
  working together to promote better lifestyle choices and
  strengthen support for mental health, we can help create a
  brighter future for all; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
  Legislature, hereby recognize March 4, 2025, as Make Texans
  Healthy Again Day at the State Capitol and encourage Texans to
  learn more about the movement and the steps they can take to
  improve their physical, mental, and metabolic health.
 
  Hughes
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on March 4, 2025.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate