IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1244 
Resolving to address the costly obesity epidemic by identifying opportunities 
to increase access to and promotion of nutrition, physical activity, and 
health care in all of Congress’s work. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2008 
Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. KIND, and Mr. PORTER) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Resolving to address the costly obesity epidemic by identi-
fying opportunities to increase access to and promotion 
of nutrition, physical activity, and health care in all 
of Congress’s work. 
Whereas the percentage of United States adults classified as 
having obesity doubled between 1980 and 2000, from 15 
percent to 31 percent; 
Whereas according to projections, 3 out of 4 American adults 
could suffer from being overweight or obese by 2008; 
Whereas over the past 20 years, the proportion of overweight 
children ages 6 through 11 has more than doubled and 
the rate for adolescents ages 12 through 19 has tripled; 
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•HRES 1244 IH 
Whereas according to the most recent Department of Health 
and Human Services data, the total cost of obesity in the 
United States is over $117,000,000,000 each year; 
Whereas a 2008 report by the Conference Board concluded 
that obesity is costing United States companies as much 
as $45,000,000,000 a year in medical expenditures and 
work loss; 
Whereas people with obesity have higher health care utiliza-
tion rates of 36 percent higher inpatient and outpatient 
spending, 77 percent higher medication spending, 45 per-
cent more inpatient days, 48 percent more expenditures 
over $5,000, and 11 percent higher annual health care 
cost; 
Whereas people with obesity are at increased risk for many 
of the most costly and debilitating chronic diseases, in-
cluding type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, os-
teoarthritis, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, gastro- 
esophageal reflux disease, respiratory problems, stroke, 
endometrial, breast, prostate cancer, colon cancers, poor 
female reproductive health, depression, and many others; 
Whereas the obesity epidemic is a complex problem with no 
one villain or solution and will require a wide range of 
policy, environmental, cultural, and personal changes to 
reverse; and 
Whereas the majority of the Federal Government’s work, 
from agriculture to education to transportation to labor 
to healthcare to tax policy, has implications on America’s 
nutrition, physical activity, health literacy, and health de-
livery system: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the United States House of Rep-
resentatives— 
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•HRES 1244 IH 
(1) recognizes the urgency and complexity of 
the obesity epidemic; 
(2) commends the ‘‘Campaign to End Obesity’’ 
and its advising organizations for their identification 
of actionable steps that Congress can take toward 
reversing the epidemic; and 
(3) commits to considering opportunities for ad-
dressing the obesity epidemic such as improving nu-
trition, increasing physical activity, and expanding 
access to care in all major legislative action. 
Æ 
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