Nearly one third of children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This has tripled in adolescents and more than doubled in younger children since 1980. 

The consequences are staggering.  One third of all individuals born in the year 2000 or later will eventually suffer from diabetes over the course of their lifetime.  Others face chronic obesity-related medical problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. 

First Lady Michelle Obama has announced a new national initiative to combat childhood obesity in the U.S.  The campaign – called Let's Move! – has a clear, compelling goal: solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.

The First Lady says that Let's Move will take a comprehensive approach by engaging both "public and private sectors to help children become more active and eat healthier within a generation, so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight."

To support Let's Move!, President Obama has created a Task Force on Childhood Obesity, comprised of top officials from the federal agencies responsible for health care, education, agriculture, and the budget.  The Task Force is charged with creating a coordinated federal response to childhood obesity, with focus on:

• Ensuring access to healthy, affordable food.

• Increasing physical activity in schools and communities.

• Providing healthier food in schools.

• Empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families.

Read tips for helping children maintain a healthy weight.

Kip