IV
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. RES. 185
Recognizing the need of Congress to prevent, address, and treat obesity
as a disease in the United States on this World Obesity Day, March
4, 2025.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH4, 2025
Mrs. C
HERFILUS-MCCORMICK(for herself and Ms. MOOREof Wisconsin) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the need of Congress to prevent, address, and
treat obesity as a disease in the United States on this
World Obesity Day, March 4, 2025.
Whereas obesity is a complex and multifactorial condition
caused by genetic, environmental, behavioral, and other
social determinants of health affecting both children and
adults;
Whereas obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally,
contributing to a myriad of health issues and impacting
the well-being of individuals;
Whereas obesity is associated with an increased risk of devel-
oping coronary artery disease, hypertension, high LDL
cholesterol, low LDL cholesterol, dyslipidemia, type 2 di-
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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;
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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
(1) supports the urgent need to prevent, treat, 2
and address obesity as a disease on this World Obe-3
sity Day; 4
(2) recognizes the need to categorize obesity as 5
a disease to reduce the risk of other diseases and re-6
lated comorbidities. 7
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(3) understands that genetic, environmental, 1
behavioral factors, and the social determinants of 2
health contribute to obesity; and 3
(4) encourages health care providers and re-4
searchers to develop evidence-based strategies for 5
the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity. 6
Æ
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