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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition
3are major risk factors for cancer, second only to tobacco use;
4approximately one third of U.S. (186,000) and Illinois (22,223)
5cancer deaths this year can be attributed to poor diet,
6physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Overweight and obesity are associated with
8increased risk for several common cancers, including
9colorectal, esophageal, kidney, endometrial, pancreatic, and
10postmenopausal breast cancers; research also suggests that
11overweight and obesity may also be associated with increased
12risk of liver, cervical, ovarian, non-Hodgkin lymphoma,
13multiple myeloma, and aggressive prostate cancers; the
14biological link between overweight and obesity and cancer is
15believed to be related to multiple effects on fat and sugar
16metabolism, immune function, hormone levels and proteins that
17affect hormone levels, and other factors related to cell
18proliferation and growth; and
 
19    WHEREAS, National and Illinois adult overweight and
20obesity percentages are similar in that 2 out of 3 adults are
21overweight or obese; nationally, 31.6% of children ages 10 to
2217 are considered to be overweight or obese; in Illinois, 34.9%
23of children ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Overweight and obese children and adolescents are
2at an increased risk of staying overweight or obese as they
3grow older; therefore, prevention of obesity is essential,
4beginning in childhood; and
 
5    WHEREAS, An American Cancer Society, Illinois Division
6mission priority is to reduce overweight and obesity rates in
7Illinois' youth by 25% by 2015; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends consuming
9a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods, in order to
10reduce cancer risks; recommendations include choosing foods
11and beverages in amounts that achieve and maintain a healthy
12weight, limiting consumption of processed and red meats, and
13consuming fruits and vegetables and whole grains instead of
14refined grain products; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Regular and intentional physical activity helps
16maintain a healthy body weight; independent of body weight,
17physical activity may also reduce the risk of breast, colon,
18endometrium, and advanced prostate cancer, and possibly
19pancreatic cancer; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that
21adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or

 

 

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175 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week and that
2children and adolescents engage in at least one hour of
3moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Despite the evidence linking overweight and
5obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity to increased
6cancer risk, the majority of Illinoisans are not meeting
7nutrition and physical activity recommendations; social,
8economic, environmental, and cultural factors strongly
9influence individual choices about diet and physical activity;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, Reversing obesity trends and reducing the
12associated cancer risk will require a broad range of strategies
13that include policy and environmental changes that make it
14easier for individuals to regularly make healthy diet and
15physical activity choices; therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate September
182012 as Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in Illinois and
19encourage that the following be supported:
20        (1) policies aimed at increasing access to affordable
21    healthy foods in communities, worksites, and schools, and
22    decreasing access to and marketing of foods and beverages
23    of low nutritional value, particularly to youth;

 

 

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1        (2) changing school environments to promote health
2    through a coordinated strategy addressing key components
3    such as physical education, health education, nutrition
4    services, staff wellness, and family and community
5    involvement;
6        (3) daily, quality physical education for early
7    childhood education programs and all students in grades
8    K-12; physical education can be supplemented with
9    additional school-based physical activity opportunities,
10    such as recess, physical activity in the classroom,
11    classroom breaks, intramural sports, and walk-to-school
12    programs; and
13        (4) ensuring all users-pedestrians, bicyclists,
14    motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities
15    have safe access to a community's streets.