SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4
1. WHEREAS, obesity among the children of Missouri is at epidemic stages and can lead to poor health conditions and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer; and
WHEREAS, Medicaid and other health care costs are escalating in Missouri and are significantly impacted by obesity; and
WHEREAS, schools shall make food and beverage choices available through school breakfast, lunch, and special events that provide alternatives to snacks and beverages that have a high sugar content; and
WHEREAS, good nutrition and adequate physical activity help children grow, develop, and do well in school; and
WHEREAS, school-based health education and physical education programs teach young people to acquire and use healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle; and
WHEREAS, healthy bodies and minds are major contributors to readiness to learn, to improved school attendance, and to improved performance in sports and other extracurricular activities; and
WHEREAS, fresh and wholesome foods produced in Missouri should be available and promoted actively in a healthy environment; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly needs to identify long-term strategies to reduce the need for public assistance programs and to lower health care costs related to chronic diseases and poor health:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-Third General Assembly, First Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby supports implementation of school policies that ensure a healthy environment in our schools by increasing the physical education requirements for kindergarten through twelfth grade. This requirement would ensure daily physical education for kindergarten through eighth grade and increase the high school requirement to a minimum of two credits; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Missouri General Assembly encourages local school districts to offer nutritious food and beverage choices and provide opportunities for physical activity throughout the day with recess and after-school programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Missouri Senate be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the Director of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and that the Director of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education distribute a copy to every school district in Missouri.