S 1256 Session 112 (1997-1998)
S 1256 Concurrent Resolution, By Giese and Hutto
Similar(H 5171)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF OBESITY IN BOTH ADULTS
AND CHILDREN ON COSTLY HEALTH COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION,
HEART DISEASE, AND STROKES AND HEALTH COMPLICATIONS IN CHILDREN, TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM OF OBESITY AND
SUGGESTED TREATMENT MODALITIES, AND TO REPORT THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE CONVENING OF THE 1999
REGULAR SESSION.
05/26/98 Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-5
05/27/98 House Introduced HJ-77
05/27/98 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-77
A CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
TO REQUEST THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO STUDY
THE EFFECT OF OBESITY IN BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN
ON COSTLY HEALTH COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS DIABETES,
HYPERTENSION, HEART DISEASE, AND STROKES AND
HEALTH COMPLICATIONS IN CHILDREN, TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN AWARENESS
OF THE PROBLEM OF OBESITY AND SUGGESTED
TREATMENT MODALITIES, AND TO REPORT THE FINDINGS
OF THIS STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE CONVENING OF THE
1999 REGULAR SESSION.
Whereas, a casual relationship exists between obesity and a number
of serious disorders, including hypertension, dyalipidemia,
cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type two), gallbladder disease,
respiratory dysfunction, gout, and osteoarthritis; and
Whereas, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases indicate that nearly eighty percent of patients with diabetes
mellitus are obese and the incidence of symptomatic gallstones soars
as a person's body mass index increases beyond a certain level; and
Whereas, nearly seventy percent of diagnosed cases of cardiovascular
disease are related to obesity, and obesity more than doubles a
person's chances of developing high blood pressure, and almost half
of breast cancer cases are diagnosed among obese women, and
forty-two percent of colon cancer cases are among obese individuals;
and
Whereas, obesity ranks second only to smoking as a preventable
cause of death and results in some three hundred thousand deaths
annually; and
Whereas, it is estimated that thirty-five percent of the adult
population is obese and the prevalence of obesity grew a shocking
thirty-four percent during the past ten years; and
Whereas, a 1997 study by Kaiser Permanents indicated that the total
direct costs of obesity-related diseases in the United States in 1990
was $45.8 billion; and
Whereas, the Kaiser study concluded that there is a significant
potential for a reduction in health care expenditures through obesity
prevention efforts; and
Whereas, there is an urgent need for state health care groups and
medical societies to place obesity at the top of their health care
agendas; and
Whereas, many physicians do not treat obesity because they
mistakenly believe there is no treatment for it; and
Whereas, the National Institute of Health, the American Society for
Bariatric Surgery, and the American Obesity Association recommend
that patients who are morbidly obese receive responsible, affordable
medical treatment for their obesity; and
Whereas, the diagnosis of morbid obesity should be a clinical
decision made by a physician based on proper medical protocols; and
Whereas, the recent breakthroughs in drug therapy can treat obesity
successfully and the New England Journal of Medicine recently
emphasized the legitimate use of pharmacotherapy as a component
of treatment of medically significant obesity; and
Whereas, the new breakthroughs in obesity treatment are not widely
known and efforts must be made to inform the general public and
health care professionals that pharmacotherapy can be used as an
effective and cost-effective treatment for obesity; and
Whereas, there is also great concern regarding what effect obesity in
children may have on overall health in children, health care costs for
children, and treatment modalities to address the problem of obesity
in children; and
Whereas, this study by the Secretary of the Department of Health and
Human Services is critical to raise the awareness of the public and
private sectors that obesity is a disease of epidemic proportions that
is treatable and that proper treatment will reduce health care costs and
improve the quality of life for a large number of our citizens. Now,
therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives
concurring:
That the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, does
hereby request the Commissioner of the Department of Health and
Environmental Control to study the effect of obesity in both adults
and children on costly health complications such as diabetes,
hypertension, heart disease, and stroke and health complications in
children, to make recommendations for improvement in awareness of
the problem of obesity and suggested treatment modalities, and to
report the findings of the study and recommendations to the General
Assembly before the convening of the 1999 regular session.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to
the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Environmental
Control.
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