Esta ley declara el mes de noviembre de cada año como el "Mes de Concienciación, Prevención, Control y Reducción de la Obesidad" en Puerto Rico. Exhorta al Gobernador a emitir una proclama anual y ordena a varias agencias y entidades, incluyendo el Departamento de Salud, el Departamento de Educación, la Escuela de Medicina de la Universidad de Puerto Rico y la Oficina del Procurador de las Personas con Impedimentos, a organizar y patrocinar actividades relacionadas con esta celebración. La ley también menciona que la obesidad severa, legalmente conocida como "obesidad mórbida", es considerada una discapacidad en la jurisdicción.
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(Approved March 10, 2003)
To declare November of each year as "Obesity Awareness, Prevention, Control and Reduction Month" in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
According to the 2000 Census, Puerto Rico has approximately 3,808,610 inhabitants, around 286,573 more than a decade ago, which is four times more population than the country had 100 years ago. This translates into around 1,112 persons per square mile, an increase of $19.3 %$ in ten years.
According to the statistics of the Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, disclosed in the local press in May, 2002, 58% of Puerto Ricans are obese, the highest amount in the jurisdiction of the United States. This translates into around 2,208,994 Puerto Ricans that are over healthy weight.
Obesity affects a person's lifestyle, academic and employment productivity, and self-esteem, and increases the risk of suffering diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiac conditions, among other health risks. In our jurisdiction, severe obesity, legally known as "morbid obesity," is considered as a disability. For a person to be considered disabled due to this condition, it is required for this condition to substantially limit the person in one or more main life activities;
persons whose weight exceeds the healthy weight generally recommended by doctors by one hundred percent (100%). (See Act No. 44 of July 2, 1985, as amended; Act No. 144 of August 8, 2000).
It is necessary for this Legislature to take the initiative in assuming a proactive posture to heighten awareness, prevent, control, and reduce obesity among our people. It is imperative that this legislation rises to judicial life, since its results shall translate into great benefits for the physical and emotional health of our Puerto Rican brethren.
Section 1.- November of each year is hereby declared as "Obesity Awareness, Prevention, Control and Reduction Month" in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Section 2.- Each year, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, by means of proclamation to this effect, issued no less than ten (10) days in advance of November $1^{ ext {st }}$, shall exhort the Puerto Rican people, as well as order the different agencies and entities in charge of public health, in addition to those indicated in the next paragraph, to organize and sponsor activities that are appropriate for the celebration of "Obesity Awareness, Prevention, Control and Reduction Month" in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The Department of Health, the Department of Education, the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico, and the Office of the Advocate for Disabled Persons shall organize and sponsor activities pertaining to the celebration set forth in this Act.
Section 3.- A copy of the annual proclamation shall be distributed to the local news broadcasting and mass communication media to promote its disclosure.
Section 4.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 83 (S.B. 1539) of the $5^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to declare November of each year as "Obesity Awareness, Prevention, Control and Reduction Month" in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $18^{ ext {st }}$ of February of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director