,,iii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #fc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of
 ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,february #af1
 #bjag,mr4 ,carper 7for himself and     
,mrs4 ,capito7 submitted the following  
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,health1 ,education1      
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,,resolution     
,expressing support for designation of  
the week of ,october #bi through        
,november #d1 #bjag1 as ,national       
,obesity ,care ,week4  ,whereas the     
disease of obesity is a major source of 
concern across the ,united ,states1 and 
more than one-third of adults in the    
,united ,states are affected by obesity1
 with the number of people with severe  
obesity in the ,united ,states          
continuing to grow2 ,whereas experts and
 researchers agree that obesity is a    
complex disease influenced by various   
physiological1 environmental1 and       
genetic factors2 ,whereas1 while        
prevention programs have successfully   
established the seriousness of the      

public health crisis posed by obesity1  
it is also imperative that individuals  
and families currently affected by      
obesity receive comprehensive care and  
treatment2 ,whereas studies show that   
bias against and stigma associated with 
people affected by obesity among general
 society and healthcare professionals   
are significant barriers to effectively 
treating the disease2 ,whereas          
healthcare professionals1 policymakers1 
patients1 and families should regard    
obesity with the same level of          
seriousness with which other chronic    
diseases are regarded2 ,whereas research
 suggests that weight loss of as little 
as #e to #aj percent of the total weight
 of an individual affected by obesity   
can improve the associated health risks 
affecting many patients living with     
obesity and can thereby support the     
goals of ,federal and ,state initiatives
 to reduce chronic disease1 improve     
health outcomes1 and help control       
healthcare costs2 ,whereas healthcare   

professionals should treat patients with
 respect and compassion and should      
partner with patients to develop        
comprehensive and individualized        
approaches to weight loss and weight    
management that consider all appropriate
 treatment options1 such as             
reduced-calorie diets1 physical activity
 modifications1 pharmacotherapy1 and    
bariatric surgery2 ,whereas it will take
 a long-term collaborative effort1 which
 will involve individual1 corporate1 and
 institutional partners in all fields   
taking active roles1 to ignite the      
betterment of obesity care and          
treatment2 and ,whereas the week of     
,october #bi through ,november #d1      
#bjag1 would be an appropriate week to  
designate as ,national ,obesity ,care   
,week3 ,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the
 ,senate-- 7#a7 supports the designation
 of ,national ,obesity ,care ,week2 and 
7#b7 encourages all people in the       
,united ,states to create a foundation  
of open communication to break barriers 

of misunderstanding and stigma regarding
 obesity and to improve the lives of all
 individuals affected by obesity and    
their families4