Let's Move

Every First Lady of the US has an issue that they choose as their primary mission. Barbara Bush had literacy. Hillary Clinton had increased health care coverage for children. Laura Bush had education. Michelle Obama has childhood obesity.

She has attacked the issue from several angles. She has planted a garden and installed a beehive to show others how they can have healthful food. She pushed for changes to the nutrition in school lunches. That is the main meal that many children get each day. Some kids eat breakfast and lunch at school, so it needs to be healthful. She is also pushing kids to move through Letsmove. Fitness is key to maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding obesity.

She has been promoting her issue on TV shows the last few weeks with humor and information. This is not a political issue at all. This is about the health of the next generation. If we don't want to see children being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, we need to eliminate the risk factors.

If you're a parent, encourage your children to eat well and move. Model the behavior for them. If you're not a parent, you can still be a model for children. You can also join a run mentoring group like Girls On the Run, Team M3, or a similar group.