Friday, July 20, 2012

The First Lady Tackles Childhood Obesity


In the wake of rising childhood obesity rates in the U.S., First Lady Michelle Obama has pioneered the Let’s Move! initiative in an effort to educate children and parents on how to create healthy life long practices. The initiative follows the five principles of 1. Creating a healthy start for children, 2. Empowering parents and caregivers, 3.Providing healthy food in schools, 4. Improving access to healthy, affordable foods, and 5. Increasing physical activity (www.letsmove.gov), which developed from the Task Force on Childhood Obesity’s review of national programs and policies concerning child nutrition and physical activity. The Task Force on Childhood Obesity has passed several pieces of legislation, like the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; which authorizes funding for nutrition and school meal programs, to combat social and environmental determinants that contribute to childhood obesity.  The Let’s Move! initiative emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts to ensure the well being of children, and the need for collective responsibility when addressing childhood obesity. 



First Lady Michelle Obama explains Let's Move!


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