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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Across Texas, the inaugural observance of Every Kid |
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| 6 | 7 | | Healthy Week is taking place from April 24 through 28, 2017; and |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is home to more than 7 million |
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| 8 | 9 | | residents under the age of 18, a segment that represents over 26 |
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| 9 | 10 | | percent of the total population; of those young people, nearly 20 |
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| 10 | 11 | | percent are considered obese, a condition that can lead to a host of |
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| 11 | 12 | | serious health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, |
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| 12 | 13 | | asthma, sleep difficulties, and low self-esteem; and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, At the national level, 75 percent of health care |
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| 14 | 15 | | expenditures go toward diagnosing and treating chronic illnesses, |
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| 15 | 16 | | many of which have been linked to obesity and physical inactivity; |
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| 16 | 17 | | moreover, the State of Texas annually spends nearly $6,000 per |
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| 17 | 18 | | capita on health care; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Regular physical activity can produce such |
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| 19 | 20 | | long-term benefits as greater cardiorespiratory and muscular |
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| 20 | 21 | | fitness, better bone health, reduced symptoms of depression, and |
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| 21 | 22 | | improved academic performance; the U.S. Department of Health and |
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| 22 | 23 | | Human Services recommends children and adolescents participate in |
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| 23 | 24 | | an hour or more of physical activity daily, through a combination of |
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| 24 | 25 | | aerobic and muscle- and bone-strengthening activities, yet only |
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| 25 | 26 | | about 27 percent of young Texans meet those suggested levels; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, In an effort to combat the rising levels of |
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| 27 | 28 | | childhood obesity, health clubs throughout the state have created |
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| 28 | 29 | | programs specifically designed to encourage families to exercise |
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| 29 | 30 | | and follow a healthy diet; in recent years, such initiatives have |
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| 30 | 31 | | spurred a dramatic increase in the number of health club members |
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| 31 | 32 | | under the age of 18; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Childhood obesity not only negatively affects our |
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| 33 | 34 | | young people's quality of life but also leads to higher health care |
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| 34 | 35 | | costs, and this weeklong campaign to raise awareness of this issue |
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| 35 | 36 | | serves as a valuable way of educating the public about a critical |
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| 36 | 37 | | health epidemic facing our state; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby recognize April 24-28, 2017, as Every Kid |
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| 39 | 40 | | Healthy Week and encourage all Texans to meet the recommended |
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| 40 | 41 | | levels of physical activity each day. |
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