Bill Text: FL S0550 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Malnutrition Awareness Week
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-14 - Adopted [S0550 Detail]
Download: Florida-2015-S0550-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2015 (NP) SR 550 By Senator Joyner 19-00905-15 2015550__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution celebrating the benefits of routine 3 nutritional screening and therapeutic nutritional 4 intervention, and recognizing September 28 to October 5 2, 2015, as “Malnutrition Awareness Week” in Florida. 6 7 WHEREAS, leading health and nutrition experts agree that 8 nutritional status is a direct measure of patient health, and 9 that good nutrition and good health allow older adults and other 10 vulnerable individuals to continue to live in the community, 11 avoiding the need for institutionalization in a health care 12 facility and reducing health care costs, and 13 WHEREAS, inadequate or unbalanced nutrition, known as 14 malnutrition, is not routinely viewed as a medical concern in 15 the United States, although it is particularly prevalent in 16 vulnerable individuals, such as older adults, hospitalized 17 patients, and minority populations, who statistically have the 18 highest incidence of the most severe chronic illnesses, such as 19 diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, and 20 WHEREAS, illness, injury, and malnutrition can result in 21 the loss of lean body mass, which leads to complications that 22 impact patient health outcomes, including longer recovery from 23 surgery, illness, or disease, and 24 WHEREAS, the elderly lose lean body mass more quickly and 25 to a greater extent than younger adults, and weight assessment 26 that takes into account body weight and body mass index may 27 overlook indicators of lean body mass loss, and 28 WHEREAS, the American Nursing Association defines 29 therapeutic nutrition as the administration of food and fluids 30 to support the metabolic processes of a patient who is 31 malnourished or at high risk of becoming malnourished, and 32 WHEREAS, despite the recognized link between good nutrition 33 and good health, nutritional screening and therapeutic nutrition 34 treatment have not been incorporated as routine medical 35 treatments across the spectrum of health care, and 36 WHEREAS, access to therapeutic nutrition is essential to 37 restoring lean body mass, resolving malnutrition challenges, 38 improving clinical outcomes, reducing health care costs, and 39 promoting good health, NOW, THEREFORE, 40 41 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 42 43 That September 28 to October 2, 2015, is recognized as 44 “Malnutrition Awareness Week” in Florida.