Let's Move!

Michelle Obama's Let's Move organization was started by the first lady in order to solve the obesity issue in the United States. It is focused on the upcoming generation in hopes that the current children will grow up in a healthier lifestyle. The website as well as the overall organization gives parents information on how to foster their children in a healthy environment. President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum that created the first ever force on childhood obesity. The force focuses on Michelle Obama's Let's Move main initiatives which are:
- Creating a healthy start for children
- Empowering parents and caregivers
- Providing healthy food in schools
- Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
- Increasing physical activity

The goal of the plan is to reduce the childhood obesity rate to 5% by 2030, which on the website is said to be the same rate before the rise of childhood obesity which began in the 1970's. Michelle Obama said, "In the end, as First Lady, this isn’t just a policy issue for me. This is a passion. This is my mission. I am determined to work with folks across this country to change the way a generation of kids thinks about food and nutrition."

So far the first lady has provided children with healthier food and better opportunities for physical activity. She has helped give families information about nutrition and has improved access in certain communities to healthier food choices. Check out the accomplishments, page to see a full list of everything the first lady and her program Let's Move has done!

Question: Do you think that this program is only helping because it is the first lady and do you think it can be spread worldwide to begin the initiative all over the world?

Bibliography

Simon, Michele. Apetite For Profit. 2012. 29 February 2012 <http://www.appetiteforprofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Lets-Move-Logo.jpg>.

 Obama, Michelle. Let's Move. 2012. 29 February 2012 <http://www.letsmove.gov/>.

What would you choose: Chips or Pears?

                   VS.







The video, The Obesity Epidemic, is a great video about the problems that are causing obesity. The way we eat has changed over the last 50 years. Americans are eating a lot more food that has been processed, and eating out way too much. For instance, the food that is being sold in restaurants, vending machines, and more is not the food that "we" would be making at home. It is higher in sugar, calories, and fat. In America, people are surrounded by food all of the time. Unfortunately, people who live in poorer areas have less access to quality grocery stores that sell healthy options. It is easier for people to buy unhealthy foods because they are cheaper. For example, at Walmart, a bag of bbq chips is $1.98 while diced pears are $2.50. Although this seems like an insignificant difference, it is enough money to make people buy the chips over the pears, especially if they have to buy multiple.

Besides eating, there are also other factors that contribute to obesity. Nowadays, it is more common to use cars or public transportation to get around. It used to be that many people were walking to school, work, or a friends house. Also, there are many neighborhoods or cities that are not safe for children to be outside playing, exercising or even trying to get around. These issues have caused many children to be sitting around in their homes. While they are not exercising, they spend much of their time in front of screens for entertainment. Be it computers, televisions, game boys, etc., all of this entertainment has become way more popular than picking up a basketball and playing outside. 

Bibliography

Free Clip Art. 2012. 24 February 2012 <http://www.freeclipartpictures.com/clipart/food39.htm>.

Inc., Walmart Stores. Walmart. 2012. 24 February 2012 <http://www.walmart.com/browse/Produce/Fruit/_/N-8zaxZaq90Zaqce/Ne-8z35?browsein=true&ic=48_0&ref=418721.419001&tab_value=18728_All&catNavId=976793&fromPageCatId=976793>.

JessFed. Blogger. 2012. 24 February 2012 <http://jessfed-bristol.blogspot.com/2011/03/chips-are-lie.html>.

Overweight and Obesity

I am interested in researching child obesity because I know that it is a growing problem that is effecting many Americans. I am a very active person, and I am hoping to get others involved in lowering obesity in the USA. I am going to be looking into causes, such as foods or lifestyles, and also into programs that are helping decrease the growing rate of obesity.

As it says in the first article I am reading, Overweight and Obesity, obesity increases the risk for many diseases. These diseases could be type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Diseases or not, obesity also leads to teasing, bullying, and being cast off by their peers. These types of direct issues cause many kids to look into anorexia, bulimia, substance abuse, and to become depressed. Being obese is a hard situation because most of the time, the weight is never lost. It puts a hardship on the child as well as his/her family.

Obesity can be caused by bad lifestyle habits, genetics, or even medications. Technology has played a major role in this because it increases children to take part in it rather than exercising or playing outside. For instance, "kids younger than 6 spend an average of 2 hours a day in front of a screen, mostly watching TV, DVDs, or videos.When computer use and video games are included, time spent in front of a screen increases to over 5½ hours a day! Kids who watch more than 4 hours a day are more likely to be overweight compared with kids who watch 2 hours or less."


"More than ever, we as parents and a nation must do something about the growth of obesity in our children. We must do more than just talk, we must be concerned enough to act." - Lee Haney

Bibliography

Haney, Lee. Obesity Quotes. 2012. 2 February 2012 <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/obesity.html>.

Nemours. Overweight and Obesity. 2012. 2 February 2012 <http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html#>.

Tenz, Top. Childhood Obesity. n.d. 2 February 2012 <http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/childhood-obesity.jpg>.