Just released! The First Lady, Michelle Obama, just unveiled a new program called Let's Move. It is intended to fight childhood obesity and is an effort to have both public and private resources working towards eliminating it. Today almost one third of all children are overweight. It will mean that our children will have shortened lives that are plagued with serious diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Some key goals are to:
- Help parents make healthy family choices - This all begins at home with what our children are fed daily. a generation ago getting a home cooked meal was the norm. Today it is the exception rather than the rule. Lives have gotten so busy and the high availability of fast food makes it challenging for children to eat healthy today.
- Empower consumers - give parents the information they need on food labels that are easy to read and understand. This will help parents make the right choices for their children. Currently to see what is really in a package you need to not only read the ingredient list but you need to look at the nutrition label and process portion size and things like sodium content.
- LetsMove.gov - A brand new site for children, parents, teacher, etc to get the word out about childhood obesity and how to fight it.
- Serving healthier foods in schools - About time that school lunches and vending machines in schools are challenged.
Here in Cobb County and specifically at one of its charter schools, recess barely exists and gym is offered on a rotating schedule with art and music. It is now considered a 'special' instead of being mandatory. So children in the school are sitting all day from 8 AM to 2:30 PM.
It is about time this issue was brought to the forefront and it will be interesting to see how Cobb County handles this in the future.
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