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Republic of the Philippines pares
House of Representatives 4, BY:

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS g NDEX of
First Regular Session
2013

HOUSE BILL.NO.

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Xoal “to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them.”

Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution itm as a matter of State policy, the

The 2013 National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI)
reported that the number of obese Filipino adults increased from 16.6 percent in 1993 to 31.4
percent in 2013. This means that three out of 10 Filipino adults are obese. Furthermore. the
prevalence of obesity for Filipino children with ages five to ten are marked at five percent. The

incidence of adolescent obesity (11 to 19 years old) also increased from 5.8 percent in 2003 to
8.3 percent in 2013,

Numerous studies have indicated that obesity increases risks in an individual's health,
thereby also reduces a person's lite expectancy. Potentially tatal conditions associated with
obesity include Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancers, and gall bladder disease.

To protect Filipinos from this epidemic, this bill seeks to establish a research center on
obesity prevention,
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Recognizing obesity as a complex condition withigenetic, metabolic, behavioural, and
environmental factors contributing to its development, people need to be informed properly of
the risks, prevention, and treatment of obesity. in this line, the passage of this bill is earnestly
sought

ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2013

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INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

HOUSE BILL NO.

AN ACT
MANDATING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A RESEARCH CENTER ON
OBESITY PREVENTION

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1, Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Obesity Prevention Act.”

SEC. 2. Overweight and Obesity Defined. - As used in this Act, unless the context
otherwise requires, the terms overweight and obesity are defined as the abnormal or
excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of
obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a person's wet in kilograms divided by the square
of the individual's height in meters. An overweight ahd obese person also suffers from one
or more of the following conditions or diseases: (1) Type Il Diabetes; (2) Impaired glucose
tolerance; (3) Hyperinsulinemia; (4) Dyslipidemia; (5) Hypertension; (6) Cardiovascular
disease; (7) Cerebrovascular disease; (8) Osteoarthritis of the hips or knees; (9) Sleep apnea;
(10) Gastric reflux disease; or (11) Gall bladder disease.

SEC. 3, Establishment of Research Center by the Department of Health, - The
Obesity Prevention Research Center to be established by the Department of Health (DOH) is
authorized to sample and collect data on individual cases where obesity is being actively
treated and to analyze such data in order to evaluate the impact of treating obesity. Such data
collection and analysis shall include the following

a. The epidemiology, risk factors, screening and diagnosis, complications, and
control of obesity in Filipino adults, adolescents, and children;

b, The effectiveness of existing methods for treating or preventing obesity;

©. The effectiveness of alternate methods for treating or preventing obesity;

d_ The fiscal impact of treating or preventing bbesity;

© The compliance and cooperation of patients with various methods of treating or
preventing obesity; or

{. The reduction in serious medical problems associated with diabetes that results
from treating or preventing obesity.


SEC. 4, Fund, - The DOH is authorized to fun{! the research center authorized in this
Act from gilts, grants, and donations from individuals, private organizations, foundations, or
any governmental unit; except that no gift, grant, or donation may be accepted by the DOH if
it is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this Act or any other laws of this State.
The DOH shall have the power to direct the disposition of any such gift, grant, or donation
for the purposes of this Act

Atter completion of the research, the DOH shall submit a report and supporting
materials to the legislature by June 1 of the following year.

SEC. S. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Official Gazette and/or in newspapers of general circulation in the

Philippines.

Approved,