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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The number of children suffering from some type of
3 eating disorder that either results in unhealthy weight gain or
4 weight loss has increased significantly in the past 10 years
5 without discrimination as to age, sex, or race; and
 
6     WHEREAS, An estimated 14 million children ages 2 to 17 are
7 considered obese and an additional 8.6 million children are
8 considered at risk for obesity, a figure that has nearly
9 tripled since the 1970s; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Obese children often remain obese into adulthood,
11 placing them at risk for developing 4 of the 10 leading causes
12 of death in the United States: coronary heart disease, Type II
13 diabetes, stroke, and cancer; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The cost of treating long-term health problems
15 linked to children and adults that are overweight or obese has
16 been estimated at more than $93 billion a year; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The eating habits children develop at an early age
18 can help prevent them from becoming obese or developing other
19 unhealthy eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or
20 bulimia; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The effort to improve the nutritional health and
22 well-being of our children must involve the entire community,
23 including health care specialists, educators, parents,
24 business leaders, and policy makers; therefore, be it
 
25     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
26 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
27 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Governor to convene
28 a Summit on Children's Nutritional Health and Well-Being in
29 order to gather experts and professionals in the field of

 

 

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1 nutrition, members of the General Assembly, representatives of
2 the Department of Public Health the Department of Human
3 Services, and the State Board of Education, business leaders,
4 educators, and other child advocacy representatives in order to
5 articulate a vision and policy stance for the State of Illinois
6 regarding children's nutritional health; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That the Summit shall consist of no more than 30
8 members; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That the President of the Senate and the Minority
10 Leader of the Senate shall each appoint 2 members of the
11 General Assembly and 2 members of the public to the Summit and
12 the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader of the House
13 shall each appoint 2 members of the General Assembly and 2
14 members of the public to the Summit; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Health, the
16 Department of Human Services, and the Illinois State Board of
17 Education shall each appoint one member to the Summit; and be
18 it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Governor shall appoint up to 11
20 additional members, consisting of of at least one certified
21 nutritionist, one expert on childhood diabetes, and one
22 licensed psychiatrist, as well as other professionals in the
23 field of nutrition, educators, and business leaders, and the
24 Governor shall also appoint one member as the Chair of the
25 Summit; and be it further
 
26     RESOLVED, That the Summit shall explore the status of
27 children's nutritional health in Illinois, develop policy
28 recommendations, and explore possible funding streams for
29 continued and ongoing nutritional programs and awareness
30 campaigns; and be it further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That the Summit shall hold open forums and public
2 hearings to allow members of the public to attend and testify
3 before the members; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That the Summit shall convene no later than one
5 month following the adoption of this resolution, with
6 preliminary findings and recommendations reported to the the
7 Governor and to the General Assembly no later than January 1,
8 2005; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10 presented to the Governor, the Director of the Department of
11 Public Health, the Secretary of Human Services, and the
12 Illinois State Board of Education.