Let's Move! Turns 3 - Black Health Matters

First Lady Michelle Obama?s revolutionary Let?s Move! campaign just celebrated its third birthday. The program?s stated goal is to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. It aims to do that by establishing a community-oriented collaborative that addresses the various factors that contribute to childhood obesity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main factors that contribute to childhood obesity are genetics, behavioral factors (such as level of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle) and environmental factors.

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How Let?s Move! Works

To combat these things, Let?s Move! aims to focus on healthy eating, with an emphasis on the next generation food pyramid, as well as the Chef?s Move to Schools initiative, which was enacted to enhance school cafeterias? culinary skills and which extends far beyond the kitchen. Chefs can plant gardens at the schools where they volunteer and use the resulting produce to feed the school. Strong physical education programs are also a valuable part of the campaign.

So what strides has the program made in the few years since its inception? Quite a few. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was signed into law so all kids have healthier food in schools. Three of the largest food service providers have committed to improving the food they distribute to meet recommended levels of fat, sugar and whole grains, with double the fruits and vegetables. Nearly 2,000 chefs have volunteered to help in schools throughout the country. Businesses are lending a hand, too, with companies like All-Clad donating supplies to chefs volunteering at schools.

The White House has established the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, which is designed to get more Americans to be active. A number of PSAs appear in all types of media to spread the word about the importance of physical activity. The American Beverage Association, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute have also committed to placing clear calorie information on grocery store shelves.

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The Let?s Move Recipe! Challenge

One of the very latest initiatives is a method to find healthier recipes on social media sites such as Pinterest. According to Huffington Post, five companies, including the Food Network, are collaborating to put a plethora of healthy recipes in the same place, something Michelle Obama says will take the guesswork out of finding healthier recipes.

According to a summary from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in late 2012, childhood obesity had decreased slightly in several states. And experts at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., believe the trend should continue with the far-reaching span of the First Lady?s groundbreaking Let?s Move! program.

?Tamar Leak Suber

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Photo: Let?s Move!

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