Title
To Recognize September as "National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month" in Columbus.
Body
WHEREAS, overweight and obesity has become a critical health issue in the United States, a significant contributor to serious health conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, and arthritis, and
WHEREAS, there has been a dramatic increase during the past 20 years in the rates for overweight and obesity in the United States, and
WHEREAS, over two-thirds of U.S. adults are now considered overweight or obese, with 33.5% of Franklin County residents considered overweight, and an additional 20.1% considered obese, and
WHEREAS, over 12% of U.S. children ages 2-5, and 17% of U.S. children ages 6-11 are now overweight, and 31% are at risk for becoming overweight or obese, and
WHEREAS, in Columbus, during the most recent school year, 43% of kindergartners, 40% of third graders and 46% of fifth graders were overweight, and
WHEREAS, six out of every 10 adults in our city are overweight and three out of every 10 are obese; and
WHEREAS, more than 75,000 of our Columbus adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and the rate is almost twice as high among blacks compared to whites; and
WHEREAS, in Franklin County 38% of third graders are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, and nearly 50% of Columbus' central city third graders are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, and
WHEREAS, overweight and obesity rates for non-whites, including African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians, are significantly higher than rates for whites, and
WHEREAS, the prevalence of overweight and obesity can be reduced through prevention efforts addressing personal, environmental, social and socioeconomic factors, including improving access to affordable nutritious foods, limiting the availability of less healthy foods and increasing opportunities for physical activity, and
WHEREAS, The Columbus Public Health Department works to establish partnerships, build systems and create initiatives to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Columbus and Franklin County, through programs such the Institute for Active Living, Creating Healthy Communities, Healthy Places, The City of Columbus Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition and Healthy Children, Healthy Weights, and
WHEREAS, the success of these efforts depends in part on the public's awareness of this alarming health trend and its willingness to assist in its prevention; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby acknowledge the month of September as "National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month" and recognizes the importance of providing critical health messages on the prevention of obesity and key information to promote healthy behaviors that contribute to a healthy weight in young children and minority populations and all Columbus residents.