ACR 73, as amended, Baker. Celiac Disease Awareness Month.
This measure would recognize Maybegin delete 2015end deletebegin insert 2016end insert as Celiac Disease Awareness Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Celiac disease isbegin delete a digestive andend deletebegin insert anend insert autoimmune
2disorder that results in damage to the lining of the small intestine
3when a person eats foods with gluten; and
4WHEREAS, Gluten is a form of protein found in some grains,
5including wheat, rye,begin insert andend insert barley,begin delete and oats,end delete which individuals living
6with celiac disease need to avoid; and
7WHEREAS, The damage to the intestine makes it hard for the
8body to absorb nutrients, especially fat, calcium, iron, and folate;
9and
10WHEREAS, Celiac disease is estimated to affect one in 100
11people worldwide; and
12WHEREAS, An estimated 2.5 million Americans who have
13celiac disease remain undiagnosed and at risk for long-term health
14complications; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Common symptoms of celiac disease include severe
2abdominal pain, severe skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis,
3iron deficiency anemia, musculoskeletal problems, muscle cramps,
4seizures, tingling sensation in the legs, and depression; and
5WHEREAS, Celiac disease can leave a person susceptible to
6additional health problems, including osteoporosis, miscarriage,
7infertility,begin delete risk of birth defects during pregnancy,end delete growth problems
8in children affected by the disease because they do not absorb
9enough nutrients, and cancers of the digestive system; and
10WHEREAS, People who have celiac disease may have other
11autoimmune diseases, including thyroid disease, type I diabetes,
12begin delete lupus, and rheumatoidend deletebegin insert Crohn’s disease and colitis, and juvenileend insert
13 arthritis; and
14WHEREAS, Some people with celiac disease have so much
15damage to their intestines that a gluten-free diet will not improve
16their condition, and these patients may need to receive nutritional
17supplements intravenously; and
18WHEREAS, Maintaining a gluten-free diet can be a difficult
19change, as gluten is found in some products in which gluten is not
20naturally occurring; and
21WHEREAS, Gluten is found in most processed foods, but it is
22also used in nonedible products such as lipsticks, vitamins, and
23medications; and
24WHEREAS, Gluten-free food touching the same surface as
25gluten-containing food can cause cross-contamination that can be
26dangerous for someone with celiac disease by triggering celiac
27disease symptoms; and
28WHEREAS, Awareness for celiac disease has grown
29significantly in recent years; and
30WHEREAS, The development of new gluten-free food products
31has made it much easier for people with celiac disease to expand
32their dietary options; and
33WHEREAS, Labeling ofbegin delete certifiedend delete gluten-free products makes
34shopping easier for people with celiac disease; and
35WHEREAS, Gluten-free restaurants, gluten-free menus, and
36the education of food handlers regarding celiac disease have given
37people living with celiac disease safer options for dining out; and
38WHEREAS, Much progress has been made in recent years to
39educate people about celiac disease and identify ways to improve
40their quality of life; now, therefore, be it
P3 1Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
2thereof concurring, That Maybegin delete 2015end deletebegin insert 2016end insert be recognized as Celiac
3Disease Awareness Month; and be it further
4Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
5of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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