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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, 17% of children 2 to 19 years old are obese; the
3highest prevalence of obese children is among Mexican-American
4boys (27%) and African American girls (29%); and
 
5    WHEREAS, While many children are overweight or obese, many
6children have diets that are deficient in one or more
7nutrients, leaving them in a state of under-nutrition or
8malnourishment; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The majority of kids, whether at a healthy weight
10or not, are not eating the right foods, those foods that
11provide "quality calories"; more kids eat food from outside the
12home and daily snacking and calories from these snacks have
13increased, consumption of the food groups kids need more of has
14not increased; recently published data on kids' snacking
15patterns find that the overall quality of the diet, or nutrient
16density, lowers as snacking increases; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Foods that provide the most calories in children's
18diets are also high in solid fats and/or added sugar; the
19chronic nature of low-nutrient consumption combined with the
20higher intake of sugar and solid fats is cause for alarm; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Providing access to the nutrient-dense foods kids

 

 

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1need to eat, and making them look and taste great, may displace
2the high-sugar, high-calorie, low-nutrient foods; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Parents are showing a marked improvement in the
4connection to the eating and activity patterns of their
5children; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Many benefits are found in sharing meals as a
7family, including lower risk for using drugs, improved mental
8health, and better eating patterns, including the higher
9consumption of fruits and vegetables; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Children have named their mothers as their number
11one role model and their fathers as number two; and
 
12    WHEREAS, When parents display healthful eating and
13activity habits themselves, children are likely to emulate
14those behaviors; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Both children and their parents indicate their
16trust in registered dietitians as credible sources, as well as
17their desire to see them for guidance on what to eat and drink
18for health and wellness; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The American Dietetic Association and the
20American Dietetic Association Foundation have developed the

 

 

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1Kids Eat Right initiative, bringing registered dietitians into
2community and school settings with tools and resources for
3shaping positive, lifelong habits of good nutrition and
4physical activity in youth; through Kids Eat Right, registered
5dietitians are providing families with the tips they need to
6"Shop, Cook, Eat" to support quality nutrition and healthy
7weights in children; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Members of the U.S. Congress have championed
9legislation to raise public awareness regarding childhood
10health issues; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge localities,
13schools, non-profit organizations, businesses, other entities,
14and the people of Illinois to promote Kids Eat Right with the
15goal of challenging all citizens to shop, cook, and eat well,
16as strategies to promote overall health and fight obesity in
17families across the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to the American Dietetic Association and the American
20Dietetic Association Foundation as a symbol of our support.