First Lady: Let's Eliminate Childhood Obesity

Michelle Obama talks to GMA in advance of launching initiative
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 9, 2010 9:46 AM CST

Michelle Obama wants to eliminate childhood obesity in just one generation, and she will launch her ambitious "Let's Move" campaign today at noon. "We want our kids to face a different and more optimistic future in terms of their lifespan," the first lady tells Good Morning America. Obama's initiative focuses on four areas: educating parents, improving food in schools, making healthy foods more affordable, and focusing on physical education.

"One in three kids are overweight or obese and we're spending $150 billion a year treating obesity-related illnesses," says the first lady. The president will sign a memorandum creating the first federal task force on childhood obesity this morning and is proposing a $10 billion budget increase for nutritious school lunches, but Obama says the federal government's role will be "minor."
(More First Lady Michelle Obama stories.)

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