SR0147

LRB094 11972 BDD 44873 r






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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Obesity is caused by multiple factors,
   including 
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genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and
   lifestyle 
4
factors; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, Obesity ranks second only to smoking as a
   
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preventable cause of death; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, Great concern has also been expressed
   regarding 
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the effect that obesity in children may have
   on their overall 
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health, health care costs, and
   treatment; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, A causal relationship exists between
   obesity and a 
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number of serious disorders, including
   hypertension, 
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dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease,
   type 2 diabetes, 
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gallbladder disease, respiratory
   dysfunction, gout, and 
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osteoarthritis; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, The National Institute of Diabetes and
   Digestive 
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and Kidney Diseases provides information
   that indicates that 
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nearly 80% of patients with
   type 2 diabetes are obese, and the 
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incidence of
   symptomatic gallstones soars as a person's body 
19
mass
   index increases beyond a certain level; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, The information also reveals that nearly
   70% of 
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diagnosed cases of cardiovascular
   disease are related to 
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obesity, obesity more than
   doubles a person's chances of 
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developing high blood
   pressure, almost one-half of breast 
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cancer cases are
   diagnosed among obese women, and 42% of colon
   
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cancer cases occur among obese individuals; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, There is an urgent need for State health
   care 
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groups and medical societies to place obesity at
   the top of 
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Illinois' health care agenda; and
      
 
 


 






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LRB094 11972 BDD 44873 r




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    WHEREAS, The National Institutes of Health, the
   American 
2
Society for Bariatric Surgery, and the
   American Obesity 
3
Association recommend that patients
   who are morbidly obese 
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receive responsible, affordable
   medical treatment for their 
5
obesity; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, The diagnosis of morbid obesity should be
   a 
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clinical decision made by a physician based on
   proper medical 
8
protocols; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, The recent breakthroughs in drug therapy
   can treat 
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obesity successfully, and the New England
   Journal of Medicine 
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has emphasized the legitimate
   use of pharmacotherapy as a 
12
component of treatment of
   medically significant obesity; and
      
 
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    WHEREAS, The breakthroughs in obesity treatment are
   not 
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widely known and efforts must be made to inform
   the general 
15
public and health care professionals that
   pharmacotherapy can 
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be used as an effective and cost-efficient treatment for 
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obesity; and
     
 
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    WHEREAS, It is critical to raise the awareness of
  the 
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public and private sectors that obesity is a
  problem of 
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epidemic proportions that is treatable and
  that proper 
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treatment will reduce health care costs
  and improve the quality 
22
of life for a large number of
  our citizens; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Senate  acknowledges 
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obesity as a growing epidemic and  encourages improvement in 
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awareness and treatment of  the problems of obesity; and be it 
27
further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the medical community
  and the Illinois 
29
Department of Public Health commit to
  combating obesity through 
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a myriad of tools deemed
  appropriate for the individual, 
 


 






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LRB094 11972 BDD 44873 r




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including, but not
  limited to, nutrition education, 
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pharmacotherapy, and
  exercise; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the General Assembly
  designates the month of 
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May 2005 as Obesity Awareness
  Month.