Michelle Obama Kicks Off Campaign to Fight Childhood Obesity

(NewsCore) – First Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday unveiled a nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity, saying the epidemic is “a wake up call” for the country.

Obama was joined at the White House by members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin to launch the “Let’s Move” program.

The campaign places an emphasis on serving healthier foods in school cafeterias, as well as revamping the traditional food pyramid and increasing physical activity for kids.

“Our kids didn't do this to themselves. Our kids don't decide what's served to them at school or whether there's time for gym class or recess,” Obama said during Tuesday’s event.

“We are in charge. We make these decisions,” she added.

Overweight children are at a greater risk for health problems including heart disease and diabetes. Some doctors have warned that due to the prevalence of obesity the current generation of children may be the first to live shorter lives than their parents. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled, Obama said Wednesday.

The goal of the "Let's Move" program is to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation, she said.

Earlier Tuesday President Obama signed an executive memorandum to create a task force, headed by the First Lady, to fight rising obesity rates.

-AFP contributed to this report