SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Utah legislators are taking aim at obesity.
A new resolution promoting a thinner, healthier lifestyle was unanimously approved by a house committee Friday.
More than a million Utah adults are obese or overweight.
Obesity can lead to big medical problems and big medical bills.
Which is why Representative Stewart Barlow is now calling for a state with thinner and healthier bodies.
Barlow told ABC 4,
“This is something that sometimes is too hard for just an individual to take upon himself...to lose the weight, to eat healthier. It takes more of a village approach."
Specifically, HCR 15 recognizes that obesity is a problem.
It also calls on the state to support healthy food and physical activity for all Utahns.
Now, because legislators are urging Utahns to eat better and be healthier, we thought we'd take a sneak peek at what legislators are eating.
From our perch high up in the house gallery, we could clearly see the food the desks of lawmakers.
Some did, in fact, have healthy food choices.
But we also saw candy, soda cups, cookies, bagels and several doughnuts.
In fact, sitting just behind the bill's sponsor, a legislator got not one but two doughnuts.
With sprinkles!
And speaking of Representative Barlow, just minutes after our interview, he appeared on the house floor with a healthy plate of fruit.
But on his plate of fruit, there appeared to be half a chocolate doughnut.
Since I am no longer going to be welcome at the capitol after this story, I couldn't resist asking Representative Barlow:
"How much do you weigh?"
To which he replied,
“Oh. Ha ha. That’s an embarrassing question.”
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