Michelle Obama launched her office's Let's Move campaign on February 9 with the clear goal of ending the childhood obesity crisis within a generation. Most Americans seem to agree that obesity is a problem, but what can we do about it. No civilization in history has had such easy access to cheap calories and unhealthy food in such high quantities. It is a truly unique problem and one whose solution lives not just in personal choice, but with the corporations and industries that provide us with what we consume.
Given that the problem is so complex, the Let's Move campaign is asking for the public's help in gathering ideas and promoting actions.
The first initiatives are already in place: encouraging children to be physically active, educating parents about how to prepare health meals, and enabling schools to carry healthier foods. But, as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy Melody Barnes says in her recent post on Let's Move, they need ideas "not just from researchers, but from parents and teachers and everyone with a stake in our children's future."
If you're interested in submitting an idea, you can do so through Regulations.gov. You can also read the Task Force on Childhood Obesity to see what's been done already, and how Let's Move is addressing the current objectives.
Sending an idea to Regulations.gov? Fill us in on how you think Americans can help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. What are you doing in your own family to keep your children healthy?