SB2742 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 20737 MKM 46627 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2742

Introduced 2/5/2004, by Mattie Hunter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2310/2310-353 new

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Public Health shall establish a childhood obesity prevention program designed to prevent and reduce the incidence and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents, especially among populations with high rates of obesity and obesity-related health complications. Requires the Department to periodically collect and analyze information from certain sources in order to (i) determine the prevalence of childhood obesity in the State and (ii) evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Provides that the Director of Public Health may directly administer the program and authorizes the Department, subject to appropriation, to make grants for community-based projects targeted at populations at high risk for childhood obesity. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning public health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2310-353 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-353 new)

Sec. 2310-353. Childhood obesity prevention program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish a childhood obesity prevention program. The program shall be designed to prevent and reduce the incidence and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents, especially among populations with high rates of obesity and obesity-related health complications including, but not limited to, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, and asthma. The program shall use recommendations and goals of the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, the Surgeon General, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing and implementing guidelines for nutrition education and physical activity projects. The content and implementation of the program must emphasize the many options available to consumers, without specifically targeting the elimination of any particular food group, food product, or food-related industry.

(b) The childhood obesity prevention program must include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) development of media health promotion campaigns targeted at children and adolescents and their parents and caregivers that emphasize increased consumption of low-calorie, high-nutrient foods, decreased consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, and increased physical activity;

(2) establishment of school-based childhood obesity prevention nutrition education and physical activity programs, including linkages to physical and health education courses;

(3) establishment of community-based childhood obesity prevention nutrition education and physical activity programs, including programs that involve parents and children;

(4) coordination with the Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, and other federal, State, and local agencies to incorporate strategies to prevent and reduce childhood obesity into government food assistance, health, education, and recreation programs;

(5) sponsorship of periodic conferences or meetings that bring together experts in nutrition, exercise, public health, mental health, education, parenting, media, food marketing, food security, agriculture, community planning, and other disciplines to examine community-based solutions to the problem of childhood obesity and to issue guidelines and recommendations for State policy and programs; and

(6) development of training programs for medical and other health professionals to teach practical skills in nutrition and exercise education to children and their parents and caregivers.

(c) The Department shall periodically collect and analyze information from schools, health and nutrition programs, and other sources to determine the prevalence of childhood obesity in the State and to evaluate, to the extent possible, the effectiveness of the childhood obesity prevention program.

(d) The Director of Public Health may directly administer the childhood obesity prevention program. Subject to appropriation, the Department may make grants for community-based projects targeted at populations at a high risk for childhood obesity.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.