Subject: 21365/EndorseTaskForce/HealthyHabits
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 13:29:20 -0500


                              RESOLUTION NO. 21365
                
                
                 A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE TASK FORCE'S
                 INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HABITS AND
                 PROVIDE RECOGNITION THAT WILL HELP TO MAKE THE
                 CAMPAIGNS BECOME COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORTS.
                
                
                                                    
                
                
       	    	 WHEREAS, some fifty percent (50%) of premature deaths in
       the United States can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyle
       choices; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, the leading contributors to premature deaths
       are 1) smoking, 2) poor diet and exercise patterns, and 3) 
alcohol
       abuse; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, Chattanooga has one of the highest per capita
       traffic fatality rates of cities throughout the nation; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, unhealthy lifestyle choices lead to excessive
       costs to the community in terms of the health care required, lost 

       productivity, and decreases in the quality of life; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, smoking alone results in an estimated loss of
       more than 570 lives in Hamilton County each year, an estimated
       $139 million in direct and indirect costs to the community
       annually, and an estimated average of 2 to 2.5 more sick days per 

       employee per year; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, the Community Health Task Force has broad
       representation from United Way, the Metropolitan Council, the
       Chamber of Commerce, the Health Department, the Wellness Council, 

0C
       the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Blue Cross/Blue
       Shield, the Medical Society, Erlanger Medical Center, Memorial
       Hospital, Hospice of Chattanooga, and Moccasin Bend Institute; 
and
       	    	 WHEREAS, the Task Force has identified long-range health
       promotion strategies coupled with short-term campaigns focusing 
on
       HEALTHY HABITS; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, based on research into programs that work and
       their potential impact, the Task Force is launching initiatives 
to
       reduce smoking and to increase the use of seat belts; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, the Task Force has envisioned a community in
       which people will not die from tobacco-related illnesses nor from 

       the failure to use seat belts;
       	    	 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
       THE CITY OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, That there be and is hereby
       endorsed the Task Force's initiatives to promote HEALTHY HABITS
       and provide recognition that will help to make the campaigns
       become community-wide efforts.
      
       ADOPTED:	 May 6, 1997
      
       RLN:cjc