First Lady Leads Childhood Obesity Fight

(CBS)  First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a campaign to call attention to a serious epidemic - childhood obesity. One out of three U.S. children is overweight or obese and Mrs. Obama is working hard to scale down that number, as CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

Since she moved into the White House, the "First Mom" has tried to set a good example - from getting kids to help her plant vegetables to hula-hooping with the best of them.

Today, Mrs. Obama formalized her mission to put an end to childhood obesity within a generation with a national campaign called "Let's Move."

"It wasn't that long ago that I was a working mom struggling to balance meetings and deadlines with soccer and ballet," Mrs. Obama said Tuesday. "There were some nights that everyone was just tired and hungry and we just went to the drive-thru because it was quick and cheap."

Now she wants to help parents nationwide. Her strategy:

- Helping consumers make nutritious choices by working with food companies to place nutrition information like calorie counts on the front of packaging

- Making the meals offered in schools healthier, with fewer fats and more produce

- Finding ways at school and home to help kids exercise at least 60 minutes a day

- And improving access to healthy and affordable food in underserved areas through tax credits and incentives.

Fifteen-year-old Emily Allen, who's worked hard to lose 26 pounds in the last six months, thinks that a national focus on eating right and exercising can only help.

How tough has it been for Emily to make changes to lose weight and improve her health?

"It's not too bad," she said. "It just takes some getting used to."

If the first lady gets her way it'll become easier for many more kids to be healthy too.

[shaniholmes]

um...NO! i'm still completely shocked that this country believes in the whole 'fat makes you fat' lie. so remove fat but don't replace with sugar? whole grains wreak havoc on blood sugar. we need to teach these kids how to eat the way people used to, back when heart disease and obesity was unheard of. please educate yourself before recommending a diet based on faulty scientific studies. our family eats nourishing pastured meats, organic veggies, lots of coconut oil and unrefined sea salt. yup, salt. play comes naturally to children (as it should adults too), recess and less tv. teach your kids about nature and before you know it they won't want to stay inside on the computer/video games/t.v.
p.s. fruit is full of fructose. fructose=sugar. check out paleo diets based on true evolutionary science. why do you think people are getting sicker? could it be the healthful usda pyramid??? educate yourselves!!! our kids deserve better.

[soapyrub]

edbunker: Actually I am an A-THEIST and don't believe in the many God's mentioned in the bible. Besides, since every politician likes to use the phrase, "God Bless America" I throw it out there to catch attention - because it does have a nice ring to it. Most of the bible is mythical although I do believe a teacher (rabi)walked the earth around 2000 years ago who was named Jesus. I tend to agree with you that emulating his life SHOULD be the ENTIRE point of Christianity, but many sects disagree and say it is simply the acceptance of CHrist as your savior, not works, that defines a CHristian. Personnaly I think Jesus was and is a wonderful historical figure whose image changed the world, but the "supernatural aspects" are extraneous to me - hard to beleive, although like everything it is possible. Some folks get a warm fuzzy feeling when you say "God Bless" to them, others get offended. I am sorry I offended you.

[edbunker]

Good for Michelle and I hope this brings about some positive change.

[edbunker]

Good for Michelle and I hope this brings about some positive change.

[govmess]

How can this woman promote such a program when she herself will go down in history as the first lady with the biggest rear end!! She should lose the can before she tries to be an example of a leading first lady. No matter what she wears, that part of the body is where your eyes focus and your mind visualizes her gourging herself on ice cream and cream puffs as she fantacizes on how great her husband is.

[edbunker]

"...that part of the body is where your eyes focus..."
That part of the body where YOUR eyes focus is what you meant, right? Or was that just a sweeping generalization that you expect people other that yourself to take seriously? Do you really believe in what you wrote here on a public forum or are you just angry that you have never tried to contribute to the community around you in a way that was not purely selfish? I don't really want you to answer these questions as I just registered this account to express my disdain for your ridiculously ignorant comment. Good luck with your sad self, I guess. I hope you find some peace and self-respect some day.

[1dermom]

Govmess, I normally do NOT respond to these types of forums, however, I am doing a final project on childhood obesity and when I read your comment I could not be more digusted. I believe you misunderstand the situation as a whole NOR do I believe that you even read how or why she is starting this campaign. It is very frustrating to see ignorant comments blurting out of the mouths of such intelligent people this is why our world has so many problems. Being a former fat lady and I do mean FAT, I weight 230lbs @ 5'7" - I am now 150lbs and the first lady is NOT fat! HOWEVER the reason she is starting this campaign is: IN THE INTERVIEW she admits that her own family has struggled with this disease, obesity, and her daughter has had to endure losing 26lbs which is a lot for a child. So THAT my dear friend is why she is promoting such a program because like almost everyone in this country they have had to fight the battle of the bulge! Furthermore I must add, comments like: "your mind visualizes her gourging herself on ice cream and cream puffs as she fantacizes on how great her husband is" - NO YOUR mind does and it is obvious you are a very angry person and I hope you do not have children as I fear the teachings from someone like you will only produce more negativity. You should be applauding the woman for trying to do something right for these kids. Our children are what our future world is and it's bad enough schools don't have the money for books or extra curricular activities, crowded classes meanwhile I pay for criminals to live rent free, have a roof over their heads and they get a better education than the children of America! THAT is what you should be complaining about ...

[soapyrub]

Americans are rightly proud of our wonderful, compassionate first Lady. Our country is in good hands with she and her husband, working hand in hand to create a more healthy and prosperous society. God Bless America.

[edbunker]

Seriously though...Why would god as you know him from the bible bless the most rich and powerful country on the face of the planet? I thought the point of living a christian life was to suffer on earth and find peace (and your reward) in heaven? Go ahead. Tell me that is not what the new testament was about. I dare you. You do remember that jesus gave up EVERYTHING AND WANDERED THE EARTH WITH NOTHING so that he could spread the word of god. He suffered so that others would not have to. Therefore, if you want to emulate the life of christ (the ENTIRE point of christianity) you should life a life of suffering (NO! Not just missing an episode of american idol!) and find your reward later.
Please do this and stop asking god to bless the most prosperous country in the world. Thx.