Bill 5171

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    5171
Type of Legislation:            Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980521
Primary Sponsor:                Meacham
All Sponsors:                   Meacham, Allison, Bailey,
                                Barfield, Battle, Beck, Breeland,
                                J. Brown, Canty, Chellis, Clyburn,
                                Cobb-Hunter, Dantzler, Davenport,
                                Emory, Gamble, Gourdine, Hamilton, A.
                                Harris, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hinson,
                                Howard, Jennings, Jordan, Keegan,
                                Kinon, Kirsh, Koon, Lanford, Lee,
                                Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Mack,
                                Martin, Mason, McCraw, McGee, McMahand,
                                Miller, Moody-Lawrence, Mullen,
                                Neilson, Rhoad, Riser, Rodgers,
                                Sandifer, Simrill, F. Smith, J. Smith, 
                                R. Smith, Spearman, Stille, Stuart,
                                Tripp, Vaughn, Walker, Webb, Wilder,
                                Wilkes and Witherspoon 
Drafted Document Number:        dka\3010mm.98
Residing Body:                  Senate
Current Committee:              Medical Affairs Committee 13
                                SMA
Subject:                        Obesity, Health and Environmental
                                Control Director to study problems of;
                                Requests and Memorials, Medical

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

Senate  19980603  Introduced, referred to Committee        13 SMA
House   19980603  Adopted, sent to Senate
House   19980602  Committee report: Favorable              24 HIMR
House   19980521  Introduced, referred to Committee        24 HIMR

COMMITTEE REPORT

June 2, 1998

H. 5171

Introduced by Reps. Meacham, Allison, Bailey, Barfield, Battle, Beck, Breeland, J. Brown, Canty, Chellis, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Dantzler, Davenport, Emory, Gamble, Gourdine, Hamilton, A. Harris, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hinson, Howard, Jennings, Jordan, Keegan, Kinon, Kirsh, Koon, Lanford, Lee, Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Mack, Martin, Mason, McCraw, McGee, McMahand, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, Mullen, Neilson, Rhoad, Riser, Rodgers, Sandifer, Simrill, F. Smith, J. Smith, R. Smith, Spearman, Stille, Stuart, Tripp, Vaughn, Walker, Webb, Wilder, Wilkes and Witherspoon

S. Printed 6/2/98--H.

Read the first time May 21, 1998.

To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (H. 5171), to request the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control to study the effect of obesity in both adults and children, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

RICHARD M. QUINN, JR., for Committee.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO REQUEST THE DIRECTOR 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 AND TREATMENT OF THE PROBLEMS OF OBESITY, AND TO REPORT THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1999.

Whereas, a causal relationship exists between obesity and a number of serious disorders, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, type-two diabetes, gallbladder disease, respiratory dysfunction, gout, and osteoarthritis; and

Whereas, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides information which indicates that nearly eighty percent of patients and 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, the information also reveals that nearly seventy percent of diagnosed cases of cardiovascular disease are related to obesity, obesity more than doubles a person's chances of developing high blood pressure, 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 in the last ten years; and

Whereas, a 1997 study by Kaiser Permanente indicated that the total direct costs of obesity-related disease in the United States in 1990 was 45.8 billion dollars; 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 South Carolina's health care agenda; 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 also is great concern regarding the effect obesity in children may have on their overall health, health care costs, and treatment; and

Whereas, this study by the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control 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 House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly request the Director 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 and treatment of the problems of obesity, and to report the findings of the study and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 1999.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control.