by Davina Lennon

Created on: August 02, 2010   Last Updated: August 03, 2010

The challenge of confronting the issue of childhood obesity has been taken up by US First Lady Michelle Obama. Launching her ‘Let’s Move’ campaign in February 2010, the first lady is determined to tackle this problem that affects an incredible one in three American young people.

Her aims are to get the support of communities, families, politicians and schools, to help resolve the crisis that has seen an increase in obesity among children over the past thirty years. “We’re determined to finally take on one of the most serious threats to their future”, the first lady quoted on her launch day.

The substantial increase in the number of overweight and obese children is mainly due to children no longer participating in regular exercise and consuming a diet heavily laden with fat and sugar.

Michelle Obama is acutely aware that obesity generates chronic conditions and illnesses ranging from high-blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and strokes. This in turn, relates to having a generation of American children who run the risk of having a shorter lifespan than their mothers and fathers.

The need to get children up and moving in any form of exercise is one of the first lady’s objectives. She is well aware that lack of exercise is one of the main reasons why obesity is on the increase. With little or no outlay children can make the move from being couch potatoes to becoming healthy and active.

Aware communities do not have the funds to spend on just any proposal that might or might not work as a quick fix; Michelle Obama has encouraged the simple and inexpensive ideas kicked off by various mayors around the country. Students from Texas where given a pedometer during their summer vacation, so they could count how many steps they took. This, of course encouraged the simplest form of exercise, walking. Another mayor made finding and then using bike paths and trail maps easily to access by posting them on the web. Farmer’s markets set up in deprived areas and challenges to lose excess pounds have all been successful with little cost involved.

The first lady has made ‘Let’s Move’ her goal to get whole cities and towns involved together to help solve the obesity problem. Meetups are one of the ways she feels can give power to people to organize events in their communities. By discussing ways to improve children’s health, getting together in groups can lead to many excellent ideas that can be extremely effective. Planning a vegetable garden or starting a cooking club encourages children to get involved and active in their neighborhood.

Both President Obama and his wife Michelle have actively contributed to this important and worthwhile cause. They have changed the eating habits of their own children to healthier alternatives and have planted a vegetable garden on the White House grounds. Michelle Obama has planned initiatives that will be put into operation to fight the battle of childhood bulge. Investment into the Child Nutrition Act, who are responsible for setting the food standards in schools, and schools that encourage healthy eating and regular physical education are two areas where funds will be implemented and supported. President Obama agreed to set up a task force that includes members of his cabinet to come up with a master plan that will fight the curse of childhood obesity.

As Michelle Obama has said, “it won’t be easy, and it won’t be quick, but we know the answers….We can decide to solve this problem.”

Learn more about this author, Davina Lennon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.