96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB3767

 

Introduced 2/25/2009, by Rep. Elizabeth Coulson

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Obesity Prevention Initiative Act. Provides that, within 90 days after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Public Health shall implement the Obesity Prevention Initiative.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning public health.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Obesity Prevention Initiative Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
7 makes all of the following findings:
8         (1) Nearly 25% of Illinois adults are obese and 37% are
9     overweight, 62% of Illinois adults in total.
10         (2) The percentage of normal-weight Illinois adults
11     has steadily decreased as the percentage who are overweight
12     or obese has steadily increased.
13         (3) More than 31% of Illinois children ages 10 through
14     17 years are considered overweight or obese.
15         (4) A majority (56%) of publicly insured children are
16     overweight or obese (the highest state prevalence in the
17     nation) and nearly 2 in 5 (39%) black, non-Hispanic
18     children are overweight or obese (the third highest state
19     prevalence).
20         (5) Today's overweight and obese children are likely to
21     become tomorrow's overweight and health-impaired adults,
22     at risk for premature death.
23         (6) Being overweight and obese puts people at increased

 

 

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1     risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain
2     cancers, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol or
3     triglycerides or both), stroke, liver and gallbladder
4     disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems,
5     osteoarthritis, and gynecological problems.
6         (7) Overweight and obesity-related diseases cause
7     premature death.
8         (8) The economic costs associated with treating these
9     diseases is substantial and increasing, accounting for
10     more than 9% of total health care costs, approximately half
11     of which are born by public resources via Medicare and
12     Medicaid and the majority of the remainder born by
13     employers.
14         (9) Obese people suffer more injuries and disabilities
15     and have more non-productive work days in total, creating
16     loss of earnings for Illinois employees and loss of
17     productivity for Illinois employers.
18         (10) Research has shown that 27% of health care charges
19     for adults over age 40 are associated with people being
20     physically inactive, overweight, or obese.
21         (11) From 1987 to 2001, obesity-related spending
22     accounted for an estimated 27% of the increase in
23     inflation-adjusted per capita health spending.
24         (12) Research has shown that each additional day of
25     physical activity per week can reduce medical charges by
26     4.7%.

 

 

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1         (13) The non-economic costs of being overweight or
2     obese that is experienced by Illinois citizens are
3     immeasurable in terms of pain, mobility, self-esteem, bias
4     and stigma, the grief associated with the premature death
5     of loved ones, and other quality of life issues.
6         (14) Food and exercise habits are strongly linked to
7     the food and exercise habits of the communities in which
8     the individuals live, work, attend school, and socialize.
9         (15) Individual and community food and exercise habits
10     are strongly linked to environmental factors, such as
11     access to healthy food and safe opportunities for physical
12     activity.
13         (16) Public health interventions focusing on healthy
14     eating, physical activity, and environmental change to
15     facilitate these behaviors have been shown to be successful
16     in reducing obesity and promoting healthy weight and
17     physical activity among children and adults.
18         (17) The General Assembly has recognized the
19     importance of studying obesity and passed the Obesity Study
20     and Prevention Fund Act in 2004.
21         (18) The Illinois State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
22     identified obesity and physical activity as strategic
23     priority health conditions that demand action, including
24     without limitation the following:
25             (A) Increased efforts to educate the public on the
26         health risks associated with obesity and poor

 

 

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1         nutrition, and resources to help individuals to adopt
2         healthy lifestyles.
3             (B) Promoting changes in State and local policies
4         designed to support healthy eating and physical
5         activity.
 
6     Section 10. Obesity Prevention Initiative. Within 90 days
7 after the effective date of this Act, the Department of Public
8 Health shall implement the Obesity Prevention Initiative.