Bill Text: VA HJR198 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled

Virginia House Joint Resolution 198 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Youth Fitness Day; designating as April 25, 2010, and each succeeding year thereafter.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2010-03-05 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ198ER) [HJR198 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2010-HJR198-Enrolled.html

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 198 Designating April 25, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Youth Fitness Day in Virginia.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 11, 2010 Agreed to by the Senate, March 2, 2010

WHEREAS, children in the Commonwealth of Virginia are less fit than they were a generation ago; and

WHEREAS, children are less active overall due to today's fast paced but sedentary lifestyles, and, according to the nonprofit Action for Healthy Kids, only eight percent of elementary school students and six percent of middle school and high school students have daily physical education at school; and

WHEREAS, nearly one in three children in the United States is obese, nearly triple the number in 1980, a statistic that disproportionately affects low-income and minority children; and

WHEREAS, children who suffer from childhood obesity are four times as likely to miss school as normal weight children and face serious, yet preventable, obesity-related health risks such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer; and

WHEREAS, engaging in physical activity as a child is beneficial for the maintenance of healthy bones and joints and lower blood pressure and improvement of psychological well-being, in addition to the health benefits of weight control; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that regular physical activity aids in cognitive and academic development in youngsters between ages seven and 11; and

WHEREAS, encouraging a healthy fitness routine for children helps develop habits that remain with the child into adulthood; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate April 25, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Youth Fitness Day in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly encourage the youth and other citizens of the Commonwealth to engage in physical activity on this day as a symbol of their commitment to fitness and healthy living; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this day on the General Assembly's website.