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Improve Youth Eating Habits & Exercise |
SB |
SJM 33 |
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(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates
Responses
Received From
Department
of Health (DOH)
NM
State Department of Education (NMSDE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
Senate
Joint Memorial 33 requests that the Department of Health (DOH) and the State
Department of Education (SDE) work collaboratively to make recommendations to
increase physical activity and improve the eating habits of youth in
Significant
Issues
Overweight
and obesity have reached nationwide epidemic proportions. During the past two decades, the percentage
of children (age 6-11) who are overweight has nearly doubled from 7% to 13%,
and the percentage of adolescents (age 12-19) has almost tripled from 5% to 14%
(U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and
Obesity, 2001). Overweight adolescents
have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Overweight or obese adults are at increased
risk for many health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure and some forms of cancer.
Overweight
in children and adolescents is generally caused by a lack of physical activity,
unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of the two, with genetics and
lifestyle both playing important roles in determining a child’s weight. A balance of healthful eating and regular
physical activity are needed to achieve and maintain healthy body weight.
Activities
to address the issue of childhood obesity have already begun in
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
Current
DOH staff would be able to work collaboratively with SDE to make
recommendations as mandated in SJM 33.
However, it is anticipated that implementation of recommendations would
require additional resources in funding and staff.
RELATIONSHIP
SJM
33 relates to HJM18 which requests that the Department of Health (DOH), New
Mexico State University (NMSU), University of New Mexico (UNM) and the State
Department of Education (SDE) include broad participation to study and identify
the health and educational benefits of selective nutrition choices in food and
beverages in public schools.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
Healthy
eating patterns and increased physical activity in childhood and adolescence
promote childhood health, growth and intellectual development; prevent
immediate health problems, such as iron deficiency anemia, obesity, eating
disorders, and dental caries. These
activities may prevent long-term health problems, such as coronary heart
disease, cancer and stroke. Promoting healthy behaviors among students is an
important part of the fundamental mission of schools--to provide young people
with the knowledge and skills they need to become healthy and productive
adults. Improving students’ health can increase students’ capacity to learn,
reduce absenteeism and improve physical fitness and mental alertness. While the overarching goal of such programs
is to prepare students to adopt active and healthy lifestyles, they also indirectly
enhance children’s reading and math performance by improving mental alertness,
reducing stress, and enhancing self-esteem.
Type
2 diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased dramatically
in children and adolescents. Overweight
and obesity are closely linked to diabetes.
In
In
addition to diabetes, obese children have a high incidence of orthopedic
problems, liver disease, and asthma.
Obesity-associated diseases for youth (6-17 years of age) that have
resulted in hospitalizations include diabetes, gallbladder disease, sleep
apnea, asthma and some mental disorders.
Nationwide, obesity-associated hospital costs (in 2001 dollar value)
increased from $35 million during 1979-1981 to $127 million during
1997-1999.
DOH
mentions that while SJM 33 calls for “a study of methods to increase the
physical activity and eating habits of youth,” a number of prominent public
health organizations have already studied and released recommendations for
public health approaches to the increasing obesity problem. A prime example is the 2001 U.S. Surgeon
General’s “Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity.” The Surgeon General identifies 15 activities
as national priorities for immediate action for the prevention and treatment of
overweight and obesity. Priorities that
specifically address youth obesity include ensuring daily quality physical
education in all school grades, and ensuring that schools provide healthful
foods and beverages on campuses and at school events.
DOH
reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published
“Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical
Activity Among Young People” (2000).
These guidelines were developed in collaboration with experts from other
federal agencies, state agencies, universities, voluntary organizations, and
professional associations. The
guidelines are based on an extensive review of research and practice and are
available for implementation at the state and local level.
In
BD/yr