•HRES 185 IH 
abetes, chronic kidney disease, stroke, gallbladder dis-
ease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, cancer, mental illness, 
body pain, dementia, asthma, and over 200 others and 
other types of neurodivergent diseases, respiratory tract 
infections, and infertility and loss of pregnancy for 
women; 
Whereas the costs come from treating obesity and its associ-
ated comorbidities are increasing, it is estimated that the 
annual medical cost of obesity was nearly $173 billion 
dollars in 2019, while medical costs were found to be 
$1,861 higher for those with obesity compared to pa-
tients at a normal weight; 
Whereas the United States Government spends approximately 
$283 billion on obesity-related direct health costs in 
2023, rising to $526.5 billion by 2033; 
Whereas the indirect costs of obesity on the economy are the 
productivity costs included and presenteeism, as well as 
premature mortality, loss of quality adjusted life years, 
and higher rates of disability benefit payments; 
Whereas obesity continues to have a strong impact on the 
global economy, the total costs of obesity are estimated 
to range from 0.05 percent to 2.24 percent of a country’s 
gross domestic product, and the World Obesity Federa-
tion estimates that the global economic impact of obesity 
will surpass $4 trillion by 2035; 
Whereas researchers have estimated that by 2030, if obesity 
trends continue unchecked, obesity-related medical costs 
alone could rise by $48 to $66 billion a year in the 
United States; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:21 Mar 05, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR185.IH
HR185
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
•HRES 185 IH 
Whereas obesity-related conditions are among the leading 
causes of preventable and premature death in the United 
States; 
Whereas over 42 percent of adults in the United States and 
over 19 percent of children and adolescents in the United 
States are considered obese according to the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention; 
Whereas Black-American adults have the highest rates of 
obesity at 49.9 percent followed by American Indian and 
Alaska Native adults at 48 percent, Hispanic and Latino 
Americans at 45.6 percent, White-American adults at 
41.4 percent, and Asian-American adults at 16.1 percent; 
Whereas children living in families with low incomes are 2.31 
times more likely to develop childhood obesity compared 
to children living in higher income households; 
Whereas rural populations are significantly more likely to be 
obese than people living in urban counties; and 
Whereas individuals with obesity often face stigma, discrimi-
nation, and coverage barriers: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the urgent need to prevent, treat, 
and address obesity as a disease on this World Obe-
sity Day; 
(2) recognizes the need to categorize obesity as 
a disease to reduce the risk of other diseases and re-
lated comorbidities. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:21 Mar 05, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR185.IH
HR185
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
•HRES 185 IH 
(3) understands that genetic, environmental, 
behavioral factors, and the social determinants of 
health contribute to obesity; and 
(4) encourages health care providers and re-
searchers to develop evidence-based strategies for 
the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:21 Mar 05, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR185.IH
HR185
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS