As we’ve tackled childhood obesity over the past year, we’ve realized again and again that this is not a stand-alone issue. It’s bound up in every issue we face – from health care to education to the way our cities are designed. There’s no one, single answer that will fix it, no magic bullet. So we knew that if we’re going to solve this problem in a generation – and we are – we’d need to come at it from every direction…
Health care providers directly impact the health of our children. They have the opportunity to make a real difference in solving the problem of childhood obesity. Each encounter is an opportunity to help families understand the importance of good nutrition and physical activity-from their earliest moments of life until adulthood. Let’s Move! is strengthened by the individual efforts of all providers, but even more so when they work with patients and families, in clinics, practices, homes, schools and neighborhoods to achieve the goal of a healthier lifestyle.
First Lady Michelle Obama
Help support this initiative by educating your patients about the prescription for healthy living. www.letsmove.gov.
Additional Information About Let’s Move
Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Sure, this is an ambitious goal. But with your help, we can do it.
Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping children become more physically active.
At the launch of the initiative, President Barack Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum creating the first-ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity to conduct a review of every single programs and policies relating to child nutrition and physical activity and develop a national action plan to maximize federal resources and set concrete benchmarks toward the First Lady’s national goal. The Task Force recommendations focus on the five pillars of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative:
- Creating a healthy start for children
- Empowering parents and caregivers
- Providing healthy food in schools
- Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
- Increasing physical activity
Everyone has a role to play in reducing childhood obesity, including parents and caregivers, elected officials from all levels of government, schools, health care professionals, faith-based and community-based organizations, and private sector companies. Your involvement is key to ensuring a healthy future for our children.
